Royals shouldn't waste their time on latest high profile Dodgers trade candidate

There are plenty of outfield trade candidates that have emerged for the Kansas City Royals in recent weeks.

And on Thursday, the reigning champion Los Angeles Dodgers may've just added another name to the field of prospective targets.

According to Ken Rosenthal and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic, the Dodgers reportedly seem to be at least open to having the conversation of potentially trading away All-Star outfielder Teoscar Hernández.

"Hernández’s name is coming up in trade conversations, according to league sources," Rosenthal and Mooney wrote. "The Dodgers view a deal as unlikely, but the idea of it, at least, is not without logic."

However, while the Dodgers may be open to the thought of a deal and the Royals certainly need a breath of life in the outfield, Hernández doesn't seem to be that guy to provide that.

Royals should avoid potential trade for Dodgers' Teoscar Hernández

On the surface, Hernández had a season that would was miles better than many of the Royals' outfield options in 2025. In 134 games, he hit .247 with 25 HR, 89 RBI, a .738 OPS and a 102 wRC+. On top of that, he has the prior pedigree of being a 2-time All-Star and 3-time Silver Slugger Award winner.

While it wasn't a bad season by any means, his average-looking stat line is a lot more concerning when you put it into the broader context of his career.

His plummet towards mediocrity was truly a plummet. His AVG fell 25 points from his 2024 mark, his OBP by 55 points and his SLG by 47 points.

His plate discipline took a hit too, posting a career low 4.8% walk rate, entering the 30% threshold for chase rate and remaining below the 10th percentile in whiff rate.

And from a quality of contact standpoint, his hard-hit rate fell from the 81st percentile to the 65th percentile, his barrel rate dipped into 72nd percentile from 94th percentile and his AVG exit velocity dropped into the 74th percentile from the 55th percentile.

On top of all of this, he's not a great defender whatsoever, posting identical -9 marks in both OAA and FRV in last year.

After slipping in form in 2023 in Seattle following his departure Toronto, where he looked excellent fpr years, his first year in Dodger blue in 2024 brought hope that 2023 was merely a blip in the radar. However, 2025 looked eerily similar, if not worse than his 2023 down year, as his aforementioned 102 wRC+ was his lowest mark since his 41 game rookie cameo with the Astros back in 2016.

The fact is, two of his last three seasons have seen Hernández look extremely average, which is never a great sign for a hitter in their mid-30s.

This doesn't even take into account his contract. Hernández is due to receive around $14.7 million this season and $16.9 million in 2027 before a $15 million club option 2028. And while that might be what he's due presently, his luxury tax hit sits just over $19.9 million the next two seasons, and he's also due $2.35 million annually in deferred money from 2030 through 2039.

For a hitter showing his age and on what appears to be a downward trajectory, with lower power rates and weaker plate discipline all wrapped up in a fairly pricey and complex contract, the other available outfield targets the Royals have been linked to seem far more appealing and far less risky than Hernández.