The MLB offseason has arrived, bringing plenty of surprises. The Atlanta Braves look poised to be an entertaining team to follow, with several roster holes to address. Even though the outfield isn’t a major concern, adding depth or making adjustments could still be beneficial. Veteran outfielder Byron Buxton is reportedly open to waiving his no-trade clause to join Atlanta.
“Buxton is prepared to waive his no-trade clause—and not only for the Braves, despite being a Georgia native—which puts the Twins in a tricky spot. With so few top-tier free-agent outfielders available, if a team makes a serious offer for Buxton, how strongly would Minnesota consider it?” McDaniel and Passan reported.
Additionally, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, Teoscar Hernández of the Los Angeles Dodgers is on the trade block.
“An interesting possibility has surfaced for the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers: A trade of right fielder Teoscar Hernández,” Rosenthal wrote. “Hernández’s name is coming up in trade conversations, according to league sources. The Dodgers view a deal as unlikely, but the idea of it, at least, is not without logic. While Hernández has hit eight home runs with a combined .780 OPS the past two postseasons, he is also a big reason the Dodgers’ outfield defense ranked only 18th in Outs Above Average during the regular season.”
With this information emerging, SI’s Harrison Smajovitts believes Hernández would be a strong addition for Atlanta as a designated hitter.
“The 33-year-old outfielder provides a serviceable glove if needed, but he is a strong candidate to be a designated hitter. The Braves need another bat in one way or another. Finding a full-time DH is one of the easier avenues to getting it into the lineup. With comparable stats to longtime DH Marcell Ozuna during this most recent period, the Braves could get something similar and at a slightly lower price for multiple years,” Smajovitts wrote.
Hernández would slot perfectly into Marcell Ozuna’s spot in the lineup—well, when Ozuna was in the lineup. However, his defensive skills aren’t going to be there, so it seems likely this would be strictly a DH move.
The Braves are willing to do whatever it takes this winter to strengthen their roster, and adding Hernández would help accomplish that. It will ultimately come down to what the Dodgers expect in return.
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