Originally published by DodgerBlue.com
As the Los Angeles Dodgers look to improve their roster this offseason, they kicked things off by signing Edwin Díaz to improve the bullpen.
That was one of two key areas the Dodgers were looking to address before the 2026 season, with the other being upgrading in the outfield. The team currently has an opening in left field, and they are likely to add a player before the season begins.
But one other way the Dodgers could address their outfield is by trading Teoscar Hernández, and they have reportedly been shopping him to other teams.
Hernández is coming off a subpar offensive season, and he’s one of the worst defenders in baseball, so the Dodgers could view trading him as somewhat of an addition by subtraction.
But if a trade doesn’t happen, Hernández could be changing positions to hide some of his defensive issues.
“Teo certainly fits,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He’s helped us win two championships, he’s one of my favorites.
“Could he move to left? Potentially. But I will say from my eye test, the last game in Colorado, the last time we were in Denver, from that point on, his right-field defense was at least average. So for me, that was sufficient with the bat potential.
“So we’ll have conversations, but I do think with the versatility potential and how we potentially shape this roster, there’s some options. But right now, he’s our right fielder.”
Last season, Hernández finished with -9 outs above average, placing him in the third percentile of defenders. But it wasn’t just a right field issue. In 2024, he also posted -9 outs above average while playing left field.
After hitting just .247/.284/.454 with a 102 wRC+ during the 2025 season, Hernández accumulated just 0.6 WAR in 134 games. Only 13 players with at least 500 plate appearances accumulated fewer WAR than Hernández in his 546 plate appearances.
Should Dodgers move Teoscar Hernández to left field?
Moving Hernández to left field could help make some of his defensive miscues less costly, but he is still a defensive liability.
Hernández needs to have offensive numbers similar to his 2022 and 2024 seasons to be valuable, so if the Dodgers don’t think his offense will rebound, a trade would likely prove more beneficial than a move to left field.
Over Hernández’s career, he’s posted a 117 wRC+ and has had a below-110 wRC+ in four of his eight full seasons. He has posted a wRC+ above 130 in the other four.
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