Dodgers fan favorite Kiké Hernández reportedly headed back to LA in Red Sox trade

While this is just the first step in trying to undo the Boston Red Sox master plan to become Dodgers East, it's still a pretty sizable one a week ahead of the trade deadline.

According to Jeff Passan's sources, the Red Sox have fixed a portion of their roster crunch by reuniting Kiké Hernández with Dave Roberts and Co., even though the locker room might feel a little different than the last time he was here in 2020.

Joc Pederson? On the rival Giants now. Kenley Jansen and Justin Turner? Yeah, uh, you're actually leaving them behind this time.

Still, Hernández, even in a down year, should be a welcome fit in the Dodgers' clubhouse as we await reports on potential compensation.

Dodgers trade for Kiké Hernández: MLB Trade Deadline blockbuster

This deal probably means more to us than it does to the rest of the baseball world ... that is, until the Dodgers make the postseason and Hernández levels up into Golden God status yet again.

Boston's current middle infield picture features four names for three roster spots: Hernández (who's played mostly short this year, and struggled there), Christian Arroyo, Yu Chang, and Pablo Reyes. The rarely mentioned Reyes has actually been their best performer at the position this season. Trevor Story's impending return means another name might have to depart in a few weeks' time, but for now, Hernández is the first odd man out.

This season, the ex-Dodgers clubhouse clown (and postseason legend) has been worth -0.7 bWAR, hitting .222 with 6 homers and 31 RBI. His one-year, $10 million contract is about to expire, and he'll provide Los Angeles with familiar upside until the end of the 2023 campaign. He can play the infield, sure, but he's not exactly Miguel Rojas up the middle; expect him to spell outfielders and infielders alike while harkening back to the 2020 World Series.

Not a bad buy, if you can make it.