Finding a team that could use Teoscar Hernández is the easy part.
Finding a trade that would actually make the Dodgers better is considerably more difficult.
CBS Sports’ Dayn Perry recently listed the Phillies, Cubs and Mariners as potential fits for Hernández while estimating a 45-percent chance that he is traded this offseason.
That is Perry’s assessment of the market—not a report that the Dodgers are discussing Hernández with any of those clubs.
The speculation is understandable.
Hernández is entering his age-34 season, his defensive limitations have become increasingly difficult to overlook and trading him would create a clearer path for Josue De Paula to receive regular playing time.
But as we previously examined, making room for Josue De Paula is more complicated than simply trading Teoscar Hernández.
If the Dodgers trade Teo, clearing a position cannot be the only benefit.
The return must solve another roster problem.
Hernández Still Provides Something The Dodgers Need
Hernández finished the 2026 regular season batting .267/.334/.425 with 16 home runs and 64 RBIs.
Those numbers represented a decline from the power production the Dodgers received during his first two seasons in Los Angeles, but he remained an above-average hitter overall.
His performance against left-handed pitching was considerably more valuable.
Hernández batted .303/.392/.515 with seven home runs and 23 RBIs in 153 plate appearances against lefties.
That production matters when evaluating a potential trade.
As Blue Dynasty contributor Austin Brubaker’s early Dodgers projections for 2027 demonstrated, the current lineup projects better against right-handed pitching than left-handed pitching.
Steamer projects the Dodgers for a 117 team wRC+ against righties and 110 against lefties. Hernández projects for a 120 wRC+ against left-handed pitching, making him one of the lineup’s better options in those matchups.
The Dodgers can decide that his age, defense and declining overall power outweigh that specific strength.
They cannot pretend that strength does not exist.
De Paula Is Not A Direct Replacement For Teo
De Paula gave the Dodgers an outstanding first impression after jumping directly from Double-A Tulsa to the majors.
The 21-year-old hit .323/.500/.581 across 42 plate appearances, showing advanced strike-zone control and an ability to handle Major League pitching.
His upside exceeds what Hernández is likely to provide over the remainder of his career.
That does not make them identical players.
De Paula is another left-handed hitter joining a lineup already built around Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Kyle Tucker. He also received most of his initial opportunities at designated hitter while Ohtani was injured.
With Ohtani expected to reclaim that position, De Paula must become dependable enough in the outfield to remain in the lineup.
His bat appears ready for a larger opportunity, but De Paula’s path to an everyday Dodgers role still depends on his defense.
Trading Hernández would create an opening.
It would not guarantee that De Paula can immediately replace everything Teo provides.
Mike Sirota Adds Another Possibility
De Paula is not the organization’s only young outfielder approaching the majors.
Mike Sirota could also enter the Dodgers’ 2027 outfield conversation after hitting .307/.461/.526 with 17 home runs and 100 walks across three levels last season.
Sirota bats right-handed, can play all three outfield positions and offers a more complete defensive profile than De Paula.
However, he has only nine Triple-A plate appearances.
Sirota also hit .233 with 37 strikeouts in 108 plate appearances against left-handed pitching last season. His right-handed bat gives the Dodgers a different look, but that does not automatically make him a replacement for Hernández’s production against lefties.
De Paula and Sirota should both be part of the Dodgers’ future.
The question is how quickly Los Angeles can rely on them while continuing to pursue a championship.
Trading Teo Should Not Be A Salary Dump
Hernández is scheduled to receive a $14.5 million salary in 2027, with $8 million deferred.
The Dodgers also hold a $15 million club option for 2028 with a $6.5 million buyout. That leaves $21 million guaranteed before accounting for the deferred-money structure.
For some teams, moving that financial commitment would be the primary objective.
That should not be enough for the Dodgers.
Los Angeles does not need to weaken its lineup merely to reduce payroll. If the Dodgers are seriously considering a Hernández trade, they should be willing to include money when doing so produces a better baseball return.
Paying part of his remaining contract could increase the number of interested teams and allow the Dodgers to seek a more useful player in exchange.
A salary dump accompanied by a low-level lottery-ticket prospect would not justify losing one of the lineup’s best hitters against left-handed pitching.
What Kind Of Return Would Make A Trade Worthwhile?
Hernández is unlikely to bring back an elite prospect by himself.
He is an aging corner outfielder coming off a solid but unspectacular season. His defense remains a concern, and his contract carries a meaningful guaranteed commitment.
That limits his value.
It does not eliminate it.
The Dodgers should target one of three types of returns.
A Controllable Bullpen Arm
A young Major League reliever—or one close to the majors—would be the clearest fit.
The Dodgers have several high-upside bullpen candidates, but their relief depth remains unsettled following the free-agent departures of Alex Vesia, Evan Phillips, Blake Treinen and Brusdar Graterol.
Los Angeles does not necessarily need another established closer.
It needs relievers with swing-and-miss ability, multiple seasons of control and enough roster flexibility to move between Oklahoma City and Los Angeles when necessary.
A controllable arm who can handle left-handed hitters would directly address one of the needs identified in Austin’s early pitching analysis.
If a team wants Hernández’s offense badly enough to surrender that type of pitcher, the conversation becomes interesting.
A Young Infielder With Everyday Potential
Second base remains one of the Dodgers’ biggest unanswered questions.
Alex Freeland, Tommy Edman and Hyeseong Kim provide internal options, but none has secured the everyday position.
A younger infielder with defensive value and multiple seasons of control could help Los Angeles become more athletic while allowing De Paula to take over in left field.
A right-handed hitter would be especially valuable because trading Hernández would remove a proven right-handed bat from the lineup.
That type of return would allow the Dodgers to get younger in two places rather than simply replacing one outfielder with another.
A Near-Major-League Prospect With A Clear Path
If another club is unwilling to surrender an established Major League player, the Dodgers should pursue a prospect close enough to contribute during the 2027 season.
That could be a reliever, an up-the-middle defender or a right-handed hitter with legitimate platoon value.
The important part is proximity.
The Dodgers are trying to win another World Series next season. Trading Hernández for a teenager who may not reach the majors for several years would do little to improve the current roster.
Los Angeles already possesses one of baseball’s strongest farm systems.
Another distant developmental project should not be the priority.
Do The Phillies, Cubs Or Mariners Make Sense?
Philadelphia has an obvious need for more offense and potential openings in its outfield.
Hernández would give the Phillies another experienced right-handed hitter as they attempt to extend their championship window around Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner.
Chicago is a less obvious fit.
The Cubs finished 2026 with one of baseball’s best offenses, while their rotation appears to be the more pressing offseason concern. Hernández could become a possibility depending on other roster moves, but adding another hitter may not be their first priority.
Seattle has a previous history with Hernández and one of baseball’s deepest farm systems.
His 2023 season with the Mariners did not go as hoped, but he still hit 26 home runs before rebuilding his value with the Dodgers. Whether Seattle would consider a reunion is unknown.
The Mariners possess several talented young pitchers, which would make them an appealing trade partner from the Dodgers’ perspective. That does not mean Seattle would surrender one of its premium arms for Hernández.
These are theoretical fits.
None should be presented as an active negotiation.
The Dodgers Should Not Trade Teo Just To Trade Him
Hernández does not need to remain an everyday player for the Dodgers to benefit from keeping him.
Los Angeles could use him selectively against left-handed pitching, give De Paula opportunities against righties and rotate its outfield according to matchups.
That arrangement would require Hernández to accept a potentially reduced role. It would also make finding consistent at-bats for De Paula more complicated.
But keeping Teo would preserve depth while giving the Dodgers time to determine whether De Paula and Sirota are ready to handle larger responsibilities.
Trading him removes that safety net.
The Dodgers should only do so if the return improves another part of the roster.
Our Take
A Teoscar Hernández trade could make sense.
His defense has declined. His overall power production fell in 2026. De Paula deserves an opportunity, and the Dodgers need to begin transitioning toward a younger roster.
But simply clearing left field is not enough.
The ideal return would be a controllable, Major League-ready reliever or infielder who fills an existing need. The Dodgers should also consider paying part of Hernández’s remaining contract if doing so substantially improves the player coming back.
If the best offer is salary relief and a marginal prospect, Los Angeles should keep Teo and find a way to use his bat against left-handed pitching.
Trading Hernández should be part of a larger roster solution—not merely an exercise in clearing a position.
What would the Dodgers need to receive before you would support trading Teoscar Hernández?