The Los Angeles Dodgers have spent much of this season battling questions in the outfield, and with October drawing near, manager Dave Roberts appears ready to make adjustments.
Michael Conforto’s offensive slump and Teoscar Hernández’s defensive struggles have created a pressing dilemma. Conforto has hit just .185, while Hernández ranks in the first percentile among active right fielders in Outs Above Average at -10. Despite his challenges with the glove, Hernández’s .282 average and .750 OPS remain useful to the lineup. Moving him to left, where his bat can be maximized without further defensive exposure, has become a serious consideration.
“I think it’s certainly a great thought. It’s something that is not a zero percent chance of happening,” Roberts said when asked about shifting Hernández. “I haven’t approached Teo yet about it, but it’s certainly something I’ve thought about.”
Dodgers Outfield Hangs On Tommy Edman
Vote For Your Favorite Dodgers Duo: Ohtani – Yamamoto, Betts – Freeman, Hernandez – Hernandez
One potential domino in this reshuffle depends on the return of versatile star Tommy Edman. The reigning NLCS MVP is projected to return in early September. If healthy, he could take over in center field, allowing rookie Andy Pages to slide to right. That combination would leave Hernández as a more natural fit in left.
Another intriguing wrinkle involves infielder Hyeseong Kim, who is also working back from the injured list. While his career has been spent largely in the infield, Kim has Gold Gloves from his KBO days and logged 44 games in left field overseas. He most recently played the position on a Triple-A rehab assignment, prompting Roberts to openly consider the option.
“Obviously we know Hyeseong can play second base. We know he can play shortstop. So just seeing him out in left field, I think that it just potentially gives us a little bit more options,” Roberts explained.
The Dodgers signed Kim to a three-year, $12.5 million deal last winter, and he has delivered, hitting .304 in his first 58 big-league appearances. With his glove and steady bat, he could become an important piece down the stretch.
Is It Time To Move Mookie Betts To Right Field?
Hovering over all of this speculation, however, is the role of Mookie Betts. The former MVP has drawn both praise and scrutiny since moving to shortstop earlier this year. Defensively, he has excelled, ranking in the 85th percentile in Outs Above Average (3) and tied for third among all shortstops in defensive runs saved (11). But as Roberts admitted, the possibility of shifting Betts back to right field to stabilize the outfield is on the table.
“It’s a fair question,” Roberts said. “I think right now, having Tommy Edman out, Hyeseong Kim out, Max Muncy out, just trying to manage playing time and not exposing [rookie infielder] Alex Freeland too much, I love the way Mookie’s playing short. Though I think that’s a fair question, I don’t think we’re there quite yet.”
Betts himself has kept the focus simple. “I don’t care,” he said. “I’ll play wherever. Whatever it takes.”
His bat, too, seems to be reawakening at the right time. After a midseason slump exacerbated by injuries, Betts has hit .344 with an .881 OPS in his last 15 games, adding nine RBIs and two home runs in that stretch.
The Kike Question
Kiké Hernández, once healthy, could also enter the mix as a left field option. But whichever alignment Roberts settles on, he made the stakes clear.
“I think that whoever we get out there, we need production,” he said. “It’s very important.”
With Conforto’s inconsistency and defensive gaps across the outfield, the Dodgers face an imminent decision. The answer could involve shifting Hernández, giving Kim or Edman new roles, or even sending Betts back to right field. What’s certain is that Los Angeles knows the issue can’t linger much longer—not with October looming.