Dodgers confirm much-needed Teoscar Hernández switch after Kyle Tucker announcement

In all of Teoscar Hernández's 10 seasons in the major leagues, he's never once been a good defensive outfielder. In fact, he hasn't even been average for the vast majority of them.

Dodgers fans knew this during his first season in LA, but it was easier to forgive when he was hitting 30+ homers and not playing right field. When his offensive production dipped in 2025 and he shifted over to right when Mookie Betts moved to shortstop full-time, we were having a different conversation.

When the Dodgers were in the center of absolutely middling August, Hernández misplayed a fly ball with a 99.4% catch probability that directly led to a Rockies walk-off, and that's when fans started to get really angry. A closed-door meeting between Mookie Betts and the Dodgers' brass a few days later made fans prematurely excited that he might go back to the position where he'd won six Gold Gloves, Michael Conforto would be benched, and Hernández would go back to left.

None of those things happened, and Hernández's poor defense continued into the postseason.

However, the Dodgers had a clear-cut out for the Hernández-in-right era when they signed Kyle Tucker. To everyone's relief, Dave Roberts confirmed at Tucker's introductory presser that he'll be moving to right field, and Hernández will shift over to left.

Dodgers finally putting an end to Teoscar Hernández's stint in right field with Kyle Tucker signing

Tucker's been stationed out in right field for four straight seasons, and his performance tends to ebb and flow. In 2022, he earned a Gold Glove for his 5 OAA and 15 DRS, the best among qualified right fielders. He posted a -5 OAA the next year, 2 in 2024, and then -2 in 2025, but Wrigley Field is generally a more inhospitable place for pitchers and the defense behind them.

Still, there's no denying that Tucker is the better defensive right fielder. We can just use the eye test for that one.

The Dodgers established long ago that they don't care that much about defense if they have an offense that can just make up differences, but Hernández showed them the cracks in that argument last year. Their Tucker signing is still far more about his bat than his glove, but he would never have made this amount of money if he weren't a well-rounded player.

Hernández can and probably still will make gaffes in left field, but at least it's a lot less harmful over there than in right.