Projecting a realistic Dodgers-Red Sox Teoscar Hernandez trade that rids LA of their problem

Teoscar Hernández is the Los Angeles Dodgers' most obvious trade candidate this offseason. They need a place to give Josue De Paula outfield reps in 2027 and start bringing the roster's mean age down by increments. Although he hasn't quite lived up to expectations after his All-Star, Silver Slugger 2024, Hernández would bring a lot more back to the organization than dealing Alex Call.

The Dodgers were reportedly taking calls on him last year, too, with the Kansas City Royals (of all teams) a prominent interested party, but LA held onto him. Given how weak the free agent class is this season, more teams are likely to come calling about a trade if they smell blood in the water.

The Toronto Blue Jays, his old squad, had interest in bringing him back last offseason after they missed out on Kyle Tucker. The Royals could also poke around again. The Boston Globe's Peter Abraham also identified Hernández as a potential target for the Red Sox.

Historically, trades between the Dodgers and Red Sox don't work out well for the latter, but they keep coming back for more. If Andrew Friedman did decide to send him to Boston, what would it take in return?

What would it take to pull off a Red Sox-Teoscar Hernández trade based on the money Dodgers still owe him?

Hernández is owed $22.17 million in 2027, with a $15 million club option for 2028. That's no small fee for a one-year rental who's coming off a down year, so there could be a world in which the Dodgers maintain responsibility for some of the money owed on his last guaranteed year.

The Red Sox's pipeline lost a few heavy hitters this season, some to graduation from prospect status and others to trades — especially after their massive deal with the Baltimore Orioles for Adley Rutschman. Post-trade deadline farm system rankings were mixed on Boston, but their most favorable ranking was from ESPN at No. 16. Baseball America and MLB Pipeline were less generous, putting Boston at 21 and 24, respectively.

But that isn't to say there's no talent to mine here. Hernández probably isn't worth a top-5 prospect, but a little further down, No. 7 prospect and righty pitcher Sadbiel Delzine, who ended his season at High-A with a 2.64 ERA on the year, could be a fit in a straight-up trade, if the Dodgers were to eat some of the money.

If Boston were willing to take on the whole contract, though (including the $8 million deferred), things could get a little dicier and involve less coming back to the Dodgers. In that case, No. 15 prospect Marcus Phillips, also a righty pitcher who ended his season at High-A, could be more Craig Breslow's speed.

The last big Dodgers-Red Sox trade was a doozy: Dustin May to Boston in exchange for two top prospects at the 2025 deadline. That might lead fans to believe the Dodgers could pull off another fleece, but the key difference between the May trade and a hypothetical Hernández one is leverage.

The scramble at the trade deadline is different than the offseason, and the Red Sox's pitching staff was in dire straits at the time. In this case, it's the Dodgers who are in more of a position of need, and who will be asking another team to potentially take on over $20 million to clear space for a top prospect.

That means that Dodgers might not be able to fleece Boston exactly as they have previously. But if we know anything about Friedman, it's that he'll figure something out.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow