With MLB’s trade deadline a week away, the Red Sox and Dodgers got a head start on the hot stove action when Boston sent utility player Kiké Hernández back to his former team in exchange for a pair of minor league relief pitchers. While the deal might not exactly qualify as a blockbuster, it serves as a good illustration of how this time of year can be difficult for players who change teams and, as a result, must bid farewell to their friends and teammates.
Look no further than Red Sox slugger Justin Turner for how difficult a process this can be.
Turner, who joined Boston as a free agent this year, shared a brief but somber message on Twitter shortly after news of Hernández’s trade broke. While the tweet didn’t even contain a single word, it said all that was necessary to convey how the two-time All-Star feels about having to say goodbye to his old teammate.
😢😢😢
— Justin Turner (@redturn2) July 25, 2023
Of course, Turner and Hernández’s bond long predates their time in Boston. The pair were teammates with the Dodgers from 2015 to ’20, a run that featured great success and culminated with the team’s World Series win in their final season together. Hernández went on to sign with the Red Sox the following offseason, while Turner inked a deal with the team in January.
With Hernández heading back to his old club, the two once again are forced to go their separate ways. Turner, in the midst of a productive season, could end up becoming available in the ensuing days if the Red Sox decide to go the sellers’ route as the deadline draws nearer. It’s unclear whether the Dodgers would have interest in getting the full band back together, but it’s safe to assume that such a reunion would be a welcomed development for the two longtime pals.
