Dodgers trade talks are HEATING UP... Report reveals multiple updates

The Teoscar Hernandez trade talk is officially heating up and last week we got update after update. The Athletic says he's the most logical big name the Dodgers can move. FanSided went further and laid out four actual trades with four actual teams. But here's the crazy part. But here's the crazy part. One of those four trades is already dead as it died yesterday. So in today's video, we're going to go through every single one of these trades, what the Dodgers would get, why it works, why it doesn't, and which one of them will give the best value for Teoscar Hernandez, and I'll tell you right now, the answer isn't the one with the biggest name in return. Before we get into it, if you want every single Dodgers trade update the second it drops this winter, well hit subscribe as we're currently at 19,374 subscribers and I'd love to hit that 20,000 mark before the lockout begins on December 1st. And let's be fair to Teoscar first as he's been a part of two big World Series titles here, but 2026, it was a different story. His home runs went from 33 in 2024 to 25 in 25 to 16 this year, which is the fewest he's ever hit in a full season. And then in October, he basically disappeared, a .759 OPS in the regular season and a .519 OPS in eight playoff games, six hits with 30 at-bats and 10 Ks. Here's the thing, though. He can still flat-out hit lefties, a .907 OPS against left-handed pitching this year, and against righties, it was just .695. That's not an everyday corner outfit anymore. That's just a platoon bat. And the glove, it isn't really helping him. Baseball Savant has him at minus six outs above average in left field this year. Now you add the money in, because he's owed about $20 million against the luxury tax for 2027, and there's a $15 million club option for 2028. The Dodgers are already sitting around $390 million on Spotrac's tax payroll for next season. And the biggest reason of all, it's Josue DePaula. The kid has to get a spot in the outfit in 2027, and Teoscar's spot is the most obvious one he can take. So the question isn't really if, it's what they can actually get, and that's where it gets a little uncomfortable for the Dodgers. The Athletic reported the Dodgers already floated him on the trade market last winter, and he didn't have much of a market. A rival executive told fans cited the best the Dodgers can do is a salary relief and a depth starter on a low leverage bullpen arm. So let's keep that in mind. Nobody's getting a star for Teoscar. The win here is getting the most out of a small return and finding value where other teams aren't looking. And speaking of finding value, today's video is sponsored by Otis Edge. If you're tired of the fake picks, the paid tipsters, and the money that you keep losing, well, stop guessing. Try Otis Edge for free. Six analysts, one subscription, one price that is going to be less than a dinner out. Today, you can download the free Otis Edge app, and you'll get the free pick of the day every single day, plus a full library of free content, no card required. Become a subscriber, and you're going to unlock six different analyst perspectives on every single game. Daily expert picks and Otis Edge University, where you learn disciplined betting strategies and bankroll management. You can follow one analyst or follow all six because it's all included. Right now, use code DIGEST at checkout for 50% off for life. Yes, for life. As long as your membership remains continuous, you're getting that 50% off. Download the free app today. Use the links in the description as it's time to set yourself up for success because that is the Otis Edge. In this one, Teoscar Hernandez goes to Philadelphia for right-handed reliever Chase Sugart. If you're asking why would Philly do it, well, their season just ended in the wildcard round against Atlanta and their lineup leans left-handed. A right-handed bat who crushes lefties actually fits perfectly there. So what exactly are the Dodgers getting back in Chase Sugart? Well, he's a late bloomer. He didn't debut until 2024, and he's already pitched for three teams. Boston, Pittsburgh, and now Philly. This year, he threw 53 and two-thirds innings in 46 games with a 4.02 ERA. But here's what jumps out. His strikeouts went from 6.2 per nine innings in 2025 to 9.9 per nine in 2026. Career, it's a 3.77 ERA in 87 games. Solid, and it's not exciting, but it's solid. Here's the catch. Phillies sent him down to AAA three different times this season. He's exactly what the exec described, a low-leverage bullpen arm. It's a safe deal, it just doesn't exactly move the needle for the Dodgers. Now keep that in your back pocket because trade number two has a lot higher of an upside. The second option sends Teoscar going back to Seattle, and the Dodgers get right-hander Carlos Vargas. Teoscar already knows that clubhouse, as he played for the Mariners in 2023 and had 26 homers. In Seattle, well, they need runs badly. They scored 664 runs this year. It's 28th in baseball. A 76-86 team that needs a right-handed bat is about as motivated as the buyers you're going to find. And remember, this was a team that was one win away from the World Series just a year ago in 2025. Missing the playoffs a year later stinks. That's exactly when the front office starts making moves for veteran bats. Now, Vargas, as a rookie in 2025, pitched 70 games with a 3.97 ERA. That's a guy the team trusted almost every other night. Then this year, a right lat strain took almost his whole season as he went on the injured list in March and didn't get back until August. But when he came back, look at this, 16 games, 19 innings, 17 Ks in just four walks with a 1.05 WHIP. Now the ERA is 474, so we're not going to hide that, but he's 27, he's healthy again, and he's already shown he can handle 70 game workloads. That's a real arm for the Dodgers. Now we go to the third trade that I mentioned in this article, but this one is actually already dead. In the article, trade three had Teoscar going to Kansas City for right-hander Connor Seabold. The Royals' side makes sense on this as they went 69-93 and finished last in the AL Central, and a veteran bat next to Bobby Wood Jr. would definitely help. Meanwhile, on the Dodgers' side, Seabold went to Korea to rebuild his career, and then came back and bounced around. This year alone, though, he pitched for Detroit, Toronto, and Kansas City with a 5.25 ERA in 21 games. Career, though, it's a 7.36 ERA. But here's the update. On October 22nd, the Royals took him off the 40-man roster and Seabold elected free agency. So the trade that was suggested just days ago now can't happen anymore. The player the Dodgers will be getting back doesn't play for Kansas City. Now, if the Dodgers wanted to get Connor Seabold, guess what? They could just call his agent right now. And honestly, if that doesn't tell you what the market looks like for Teoscar Hernandez, I don't know what does. A guy who was suggested to be as a trade option for Teoscar is now not even on an MLB roster. The fourth trade is still alive. Teoscar to the Boston Red Sox, which has been flirted in the past, for right-hander Johan Oviedo. Boston needs pop. They were 23rd in baseball and runs and 26th in home runs this year in a really hitter-friendly park. Oviedo is the most talented arm on this list. In 2023, he made 32 starts for Pittsburgh and threw 177 and two-thirds innings. But since then, it's been tough. He didn't throw a single big league pitch in 2024, and this year he pitched in exactly one game on March 30th before a right elbow strain ended his season. He's 28 and he made 67 starts in his career, and the upside is real, but you'd be trading for a guy who played 125 games for a guy who pitched and won. Now that's a lottery ticket type trade. Maybe a good one, but it's still definitely a lottery ticket. So let's put them in order of what I would rank them because which trade actually is going to give the Dodgers the best value. The last place trade is easy. It's the Royals one. Seabold's a free agent. If you want him, you can just sign him. The second to last though might surprise you because I have the Boston Red Sox. While Oviedo does have a high ceiling, he only pitched in one game in 2026, and it's too big of a gamble for a team that is trying to win now. Philadelphia is the safe floor in this. Sugart gives you a 3.77 career ERA and a strikeout jump. Philly is the safe floor in this, as Sugart gives you a 3.77 career ERA, a strikeout jump, but he was also optioned three times this year, so there is some risk. But if you want to go overall best value, it's Carlos Vargas from Seattle. He's 27, the youngest arm on this list, and he's already handled 70 games in a season. He came back from the latch train throwing strikes with just four walks and 19 innings. And Seattle, 28th in runs. It's the team most desperate for a right-handed bat, which means the Dodgers have the most leverage in this type of conversation. You're going to save about $20 million a year against the luxury tax. You open up left field for DePaula, and you get a bullpen arm with real upside for a 34-year-old with just one guaranteed year left on his deal. That's about as good as you're going to get. Now, the Dodgers don't have to trade him. They could, in fact, keep Teoscar Hernandez and platoon him and DePaulo together, with Teoscar mashing lefties and DePaulo playing against righties. And look, there's an emotional side of this too, a personal side. Teoscar was a big part of two title teams, nobody wants to see that go for a reliever. But this front office has never been sentimental, and with DePaulo ready, I don't think they're going to start being that way now. But if they're going to move him in every update this week since they might, Seattle's the one you gotta call. So of course, as always, I want to hear from you. If you're the Dodgers, which trade are you making? Seattle for Vargas or Philly for Sugar? Let me know in the comments section. Thanks for watching this one. We'll see you in the next for now. Peace out.