The All-Star break couldn’t have come at a better time for Teoscar Hernández. The Dodgers outfielder returned to the lineup Friday night after missing four straight starts with a bone bruise at the top of his left ankle, an injury sustained after fouling a pitch off his foot last weekend. Though he made a running catch in foul territory, his limited mobility was clear — a two-run triple that fell just out of reach in the gap had a catch probability of only 20%, per Statcast.
Hernández acknowledged the pain is still affecting him — particularly when running.
“It’s a little bit of everything, but running is definitely the one that I feel the most,” Hernández told SportsNet LA’s Kirsten Watson. “It’s not going to get 100%, but I feel good enough to be in there, get ready and do something for the team.”
Teoscar Hernández Battling Through Injury, Slump to Stay on the Field for Dodgers
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His injury, like Max Muncy’s, is largely a matter of pain tolerance, but it’s not the first issue he’s faced this season. Hernández previously missed time with a groin strain and has admitted his timing at the plate hasn’t been the same since. Offensively, he’s hitting .256 with 14 home runs and 57 RBIs, though he ranks near the bottom of the league in walk rate and whiff percentage. Defensively, it’s been worse — Hernández sits in the first percentile for range, per Statcast, a concerning metric exacerbated by the shift of Mookie Betts to the infield.
Still, Hernández refuses to sit out for the Los Angeles Dodgers
“I like to play, even through bad moments. I don’t really care about how I’m doing. I want to be in, trying to help any way that I can.”
The Dodgers are banged up, with Kiké Hernández and Tommy Edman also hurt. Teoscar’s willingness to grind through injuries has earned respect — but the team may soon need to re-evaluate his defensive position if his foot doesn’t improve.