The Los Angeles Dodgers’ signing of Kyle Tucker was made necessary by their subpar production from corner outfielders in 2025.
Yet, Teoscar Hernández is hoping to bounce back after a losing weight following his injury-plagued campaign a year ago and set a goal of winning a Gold Glove in the outfield.
The Dodgers signed Tucker to a four-year, $240 million contract to play right field at Dodger Stadium and slot Hernández back in left field. Michael Conforto was dreadful in left field for LA in 2025 (.199/.305/.333, 12 HRs, 36 RBIs), and Hernández’s OPS dropped 102 points from 2024, despite his 25 homers and 89 RBIs, while battling a groin injury that cost him 28 games.
Still, the Dodgers, of course, won the World Series for the second straight year by defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in seven games.
Teoscar Hernández Wants to Win a Gold Glove
Hernández is a star-caliber player who has been overshadowed by the Dodgers’ superstar-laden roster. He is a two-time All-Star, a three-time Silver Slugger and a two-time World Series champion who has been a middle-of-the-lineup presence for the Dodgers while winning consecutive titles.
Yet, he has one specific goal he is still working toward.
“I think for every position player, getting a Gold Glove is one of the goals,” Hernández said, according to MLB.com. “In my career, I have a Silver Slugger. I’ve got rings now.”
Hernández will turn 33 in October and has one more year on his current contract with the Dodgers — plus an option for 2027. Despite his relative youth, Hernández knows the clock is ticking on him winning the Gold Glove award.
“It’s hard to say, but two, three years more for me in my career. I want to go home having won a Gold Glove,” Hernández. I’ve been working really hard for it, and let’s see what happens this year.”
Teoscar Hernández Lost Weight so he Can Move Better
Part of Hernández’s offseason work toward winning a Gold Glove was losing weight, since his lower-body injury had an impact on his mobility especially since it never fully healed after he firs sustained the injury in May.
“I wasn’t moving the way I know I can move,” Hernández said. “That was one of my goals for the offseason — trying to get back in the shape I used to be, the weights that I know I can perform really good.
“I was fighting through it. Obviously, I didn’t say anything. I just wanted to be on the field and trying to help the team.”
The Dodgers are constantly tinkering with their roster to keep their window to win open, which also opened him to trade rumors again this offseason. Hernández is no stranger to being dealt — he’s been traded twice in his career — but would rather stay where he is.
“Obviously, I don’t want to go,” Hernández said. “But if they feel they can be a better team, they’re going to do it. As much as I like to be here, for them it has the business side of it, and if they feel they can be better trading me and getting somebody else, they’re going to do it.”
Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernández Sets Bold Goal After Offseason Trade Rumors