Dodgers Rumors: Dodgers Still Considering Teoscar Hernández Trade with Royals Rumored as Suitor

ORLANDO, FL—Entering the offseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers, fresh off winning consecutive World Series championships, made it apparent that one of their few needs this offseason was an additional outfielder.

Their one-year experiment with Michael Conforto backfired badly, as the left-handed hitter was one of the league’s worst offensive players last season despite a hot July stretch that extended his tenure with the organization.

Fan-favorite utilityman and left field starter for the Dodgers in October, Kiké Hernández is still a free agent and likely not to sign a deal until the 60-day injured list opens up in February.

And fellow utilityman Tommy Edman is nursing a fresh surgically repaired ankle, which could cause a delay to his 2026 season.

So, it’s no surprise a month into the offseason that the Dodgers have been linked to virtually every available outfielder, whether through free agency (Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger) or trade (Steven Kwan, Brendan Donovan, Jarren Duran), but what is surprising is the situation revolving around Teoscar Hernández.

Shortly before the start of the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal stated that Teoscar Hernández’s name had come up in trade conversations, but the industry did not see a move as likely.

When Dodgers General Manager Brandon Gomes was asked about the trade rumors, he addressed them for what they were: the Dodgers doing their due diligence for a player generating interest.

“That doesn’t feel likely,” Gomes added of the possibility of trading Hernández. “Obviously, you can never say never on those types of things. I know that’s come up [in reports]. But that’s not something we anticipate at all.”

Despite Hernández having multiple deferrals in both deals he signed with Los Angeles, the right-handed power bat owes a respectable $26 million over the next two years, including $23.5 million in deferred salary and a $15 million club option for 2028 or a $6.5 million buyout.

Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic still reports that the Dodgers will “kick the tires” on a Teoscar Hernández trade despite Gomes publicly stating a deal was unlikely.

Among the teams in the league, Ardaya highlighted that the Kansas City Royals, a team aiming to improve its outfield offensive production, has shown interest in the 2024 National League All-Star selection. Still, it’s unclear how invested the Dodgers are in a deal.

Trading Hernández makes sense only if the Dodgers have an immediate replacement, as internally their options are limited.

In the pipeline, their top prospects are still at least one to two years away from making an impact, and externally, the team is unwilling to offer a long-term deal to either Tucker or Bellinger.

With the Winter Meetings concluded, it will be interesting to see in the coming weeks whether a Hernández trade occurs and whether the Dodgers make a trade or a signing to address their remaining winter needs.

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