MLB Trade Grades: Dodgers reunite with familiar face in Red Sox deal

The Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to a trade with the Boston Red Sox to bring back a fan-favorite player to be their utility man.

The Los Angeles Dodgers may not have gone on the usual winter spending spree this past offseason, but they are still experiencing success. Even with the number of injuries across the roster throughout the year, the Dodgers find themselves with a 57-42 record as of the morning of July 25, and hold a four-game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants for first place in the NL West. With that, the Dodgers are in a position to add some players to help bolster their roster in their push for the postseason.

In their first move ahead of the deadline, the Dodgers are bringing back a fan-favorite.

According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Fabian Ardaya, the Dodgers are bringing back Enrique Hernandez in a trade with the Boston Red Sox. As for the Red Sox, they will be getting right-handed relief pitchers Nick Robertson and Justin Hagenman.

MLB trade grades: Dodgers bring back Enrique Hernandez in trade with Red Sox

With the return now official, let’s hand out some grades.

Dodgers get UTIL Enrique Hernandez

Hernandez had been with the Dodgers organization since 2015 when he was acquired by the team along with Austin Barnes and Andrew Heaney from the Miami Marlins. Since then, he endeared himself to the Los Angeles faithful, becoming a reliable utilityman who can play in the outfield or across the infield.

In his final season with the Dodgers in 2020, he played a role in the team making it to the World Series. In the NLCS against the Atlanta Braves, Hernandez went 4-for-13 at the plate, hitting two home runs, knocking in two runs, and scoring two runs. One of those home runs came as a pinch-hitter, and it tied up Game 7. Of course, the Dodgers went on to win the World Series after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays in six games.

Through his six years with the Dodgers, Hernandez recorded a .240 batting average, a .312 on-base percentage, a .425 slugging percentage, 68 home runs, 213 RBI, 239 runs scored, and 400 hits.

Hernandez has struggled this season, so maybe a return to Los Angeles can rejuvenate him.

Dodgers trade grade: C

Red Sox get RHPs Nick Robertson and Justin Hagenman

The Red Sox did experience some success with Hernandez on the team. Let’s not forget in 2021, his first season in Boston, Hernandez went 10-for-26 at the plate, including three home runs, and recorded a .407 on-base percentage and .846 slugging percentage, throughout the ALCS against the Houston Astros.

But this season, Hernandez struggled, slashing .222/.279/.320 while recording six home runs, 31 RBI, 38 runs scored, 66 hits, 68 strikeouts, and 22 walks in 297 at-bats (86 games). Not to mention that he picked up 14 errors at shortstop, as the Red Sox awaited the return of Trevor Story.

So, instead of designating Hernandez for assignment, they send him to the Dodgers and get two relief pitchers in return.

Robertson was selected in the seventh round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Dodgers. In Triple-A this year, Robertson recorded a 2.54 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP, seven saves in seven opportunities, 42 strikeouts, and nine walks in 28.1 innings (27 games). Robertson did play with Los Angeles this season, recording a 6.10 ERA, a 2.03 WHIP, 13 strikeouts, and four walks over 10.1 innings (nine games).

As for Hagenman, he pitched in the Dodgers farm system since 2018. This year, Hagenman owns a 2.78 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP, while recording 60 strikeouts and 11 walks in 55.0 innings (25 games) in Triple-A.

Getting any sort of return for Hernandez was a win for the Red Sox.

Red Sox trade grade: B-