The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox are finalizing a trade that would send Kiké Hernandez to the City of Angels in exchange for pitching prospects Nick Robertson and Justin Hagenman, The Post’s Jon Heyman confirmed.
The deal brings Hernandez back to LA, where he played from 2015-20, and the Red Sox acquire one of the Dodgers’ more impressive prospects in their system in Robertson.
The trade was first reported by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Fabian Ardaya.
The Dodgers are hoping a return to Los Angeles will help turn around the rough time Hernandez has had in Boston.
The utilityman is hitting .222/.279/.320 in 323 plate appearances this season and he has faired just as bad defensively after an offseason injury to Trever Story forced the Red Sox to move him from center field to shortstop.
Hernandez hadn’t played the position with any sort of regularity since 2018.
The 31-year-old has faired a bit better at the plate against left-handed pitchers, slashing .260/.314/.338 against them this season.
Hernandez is no stranger to the Dodgers and famously hit a game-tying home run in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series in 2020.
L.A. would go on to win the franchise’s first World Series title since 1988.
He left during the offseason and signed a two-year contract with the Red Sox, who extended him for another year last fall.
The Red Sox are actively looking for pitching help ahead of the Aug. 1 MLB trade deadline and the pair of pitchers they received as part of the deal could help.
Robertson was the No, 25th-ranked prospect in the Dodgers’ system and has been one of the best relievers in Triple-A this season.
Robertson, 25, has a 2.54 ERA in 28.1 innings pitched in Triple-A along with 42 strikeouts and a 0.99 WHIP.
He also made his MLB debut this season, throwing 10.1 innings for L.A.
Hagenman, 26, has also been having a good year in Triple-A, striking out 60 batters in 55 innings pitched and posting a 2.78 ERA.
Unlike Robertson, Hagenman has not pitched in the majors yet.