MLB Rumors: Royals & Dodgers Talking Blockbuster Trade

December 12, 2025 ,
Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez reacts after at bat during 2025 World Series game.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have spent most of this offseason acting like a machine that never slows down, stacking even more stars and quietly gearing up for a three-peat. 

Underneath that polished surface, though, one storyline is starting to heat up: Teoscar Hernández might actually be in play. Despite public insistence from GM Brandon Gomes that a deal “doesn’t feel likely,” multiple reports say the Dodgers are listening, and the Kansas City Royals are circling hard on the two-time World Series champion slugger.

Dodgers & Royals in Trade Discussions

Kansas City’s outfield production last season was among the weakest in baseball, and missing out on a reunion with Mike Yastrzemski only increased the urgency. The Royals have openly talked about flipping pitching for an outfielder, and Hernández checks every offensive box they are chasing. 

Even in a slightly down year, he still launched 25–26 homers with a league-average bat, and he has a long track record of 30-homer power and big postseason moments. Dropping that kind of right-handed thunder behind Salvador Perez would instantly change the shape of their lineup and finally give them a credible middle-of-the-order presence.

For the Dodgers, Hernández remains an important bat and a respected presence, but his defense has slipped badly in right field, with Statcast metrics painting a harsh picture over the last two seasons. With two years left on his three-year, $66 million deal and several internal outfield options already on the 40-man roster, Los Angeles can at least consider reallocating that money and that corner-outfield spot. 

If the Royals are willing to send back a controllable starter or high-upside arm, the idea starts to look more like something that could happen.

Photo Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images 

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