The Los Angeles Dodgers failed to win their third consecutive World Series in 2026, as they fell short in the National League Championship Series to the Milwaukee Brewers. LA's focus is now on the offseason. While the Dodgers will primarily be adding to their talented roster, one player who could be traded is Teoscar Hernandez. Part of the thinking behind a Hernandez trade may be impacted by Shohei Ohtani's presence at designated hitter.

“The most obvious trade candidate in their position player group is Teoscar Hernandez, because as he gets older and his defensive skills naturally decline, there is no out for him at the DH spot, with the presence of Shohei Ohtani,” MLB insider Buster Olney recently wrote in an article for ESPN.

This is not the first time that Hernandez has been mentioned as a potential trade candidate. He's a good player, but his fit with the Dodgers is not as clear as it once was.

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Even if you ignore the defensive skills element of the game, the Dodgers' outfield is going to demand an open spot sooner rather than later. Kyle Tucker signed a big deal last offseason and Andy Pages is a young star with a high ceiling. Meanwhile, the Dodgers' top three prospects — Josue De Paula, Eduardo Quintero, Mike Sirota — all happen to be outfielders. With Ohtani handling DH duties for years to come, there isn't a great fit for Hernandez on the roster.

Trading Hernandez would allow the Dodgers to either bring in more talented prospects or even upgrade other areas of the big league roster. Hernandez, 34, would provide a boost for most lineups around the sport. The two-time All-Star was limited to 125 games played in 2026, but still hit .267 with a .759 OPS and 16 home runs.