Red Sox Trade Struggling Slugger Back To Dodgers After Lackluster Stint In Boston

Boston has cleared up their infield logjam for now

Scott Neville | Jul 25, 2023

Red Sox Trade Struggling Slugger Back To Dodgers After Lackluster Stint In Boston /

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The Boston Red Sox have been staring down a decision to clear up their infield logjam for weeks and finally made a move to solve the issue shortly following the return of Pablo Reyes.

The move seemingly will work out for both parties, as both the organization and player will be in a better spot once the trade is completed.

The Boston Red Sox are trading versatile utility man Kiké Hernández to the Los Angeles Dodgers according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Fabian Ardaya.

The return is not yet known but it's safe to say the Dodgers won't be trading the farm for the former fan favorite.

Hernández was the starting shortstop to open the season for Boston but has since led the league with 15 errors and moved back to a utility role. Offensively, things have gone just as bad for the 31-year-old. He's hitting .222 with 17 extra-base hits including six home runs, 31 RBIs and a .599 OPS (61 OPS+) in 86 games.

Now Hernández can return to a place where he made six straight postseason berths and can assume one more will come as the Dodgers sit at 57-42, first in the National League West.

Boston will have another similar move pending, as the return of Trevor Story will force Yu Chang, Christian Arroyo or Reyes out of a spot -- with Chang being the most likely.

Update: Boston will acquire a pair of right-handed relievers: Nick Robertson and Justin Hagenman. Both players are thriving for Triple-A Oklahoma City.

More MLB: Red Sox Reportedly Would Like To Trade For Middle Infielder Ahead Of Deadline

Published Jul 25, 2023

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu