The Los Angeles Dodgers have navigated a host of injuries to key players while somehow maintaining a lead in the National League West. Most recently, All-Star left fielder Teoscar Hernandez exited Friday’s game early after being hit by a pitch on the left ankle/foot. Immediately following his departure it seemed inevitable that Hernandez would land on the injured list. But the nine-year veteran has other plans.
While Hernandez won’t play in Saturday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians, he told reporters that he will avoid the injured list, according to Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times on X. Hernandez said that X-rays and scans of his foot and ankle were negative. He plans to test his leg on Sunday and get back in the lineup on Monday or Tuesday, depending on the level of pain, per Harris.
Hernandez was forced from Friday’s game against the Guardians in the first inning after an 81 mph pitch from Matthew Boyd tailed in and caught him flush on the lower ankle/upper foot. Hernandez immediately hit the ground and grabbed at his leg in obvious pain. The injury is being called a foot contusion.
It appeared at the time that Hernandez would become the next Dodgers player placed on the IL, as the team has had terrible luck with injuries in 2024. LA’s pitching staff has been hit especially hard by injuries.
Teoscar Hernandez bucks the Dodgers IL trend
Most recently, rookie starter Gavin Stone hit the 15-day IL with shoulder inflammation. The week before, veteran ace Clayton Kershaw landed on the 15-day IL as well after hurting his toe against the Arizona Diamondbacks and exiting after just one inning of work. Tyler Glasnow is still rehabbing from elbow tendinitis that’s kept him out of action for about a month now and Yoshinobu Yamamoto is working his way back from a shoulder ailment that knocked him out of the rotation in mid June.
The injury bug hasn’t just been limited to Dodgers pitchers this season. Offensive stalwarts Mookie Betts (broken hand) and Max Muncy (oblique strain) have also missed significant time.
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Hernandez joined the Dodgers on a one-year, $23.5 million deal prior to the 2024 season. While it’s easy to get overlooked in a lineup that features three former league MVPs in Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Shohei Ohtani – particularly given Ohtani’s historic season as he leads the way for his third MVP award – Hernandez has been integral to the team’s success.
Now in his ninth season, Hernandez is second on the Dodgers in home runs (28) and RBI (87). He also has 29 doubles, 73 runs scored and 10 steals with an .819 OPS and an OPS+ of 130. Hernandez is up to 3.3 bWAR in 138 games for the Dodgers this season.
The 31-year-old veteran made his second career All-Star Game this year and out slugged Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. to win the Home Run Derby. Of course, Hernandez has another championship in mind this season. Now the Dodgers need to get healthy for a playoff push.
