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Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernandez got off to a shaky start to 2026, but found his stride during the Dodgers’ road trip.
Since the first game of the Dodgers’ nine-game road trip May 15, Hernandez is batting .344 with a 1.086 OPS and a 198 wRC+, which ranks second on the team during that stretch behind Shohei Ohtani. His best performance of the bunch came Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers, when he went 3-for-4 with a homer and six RBIs.
“I’m just hitting the ball in the air, hitting it hard,” Hernández said after Saturday’s win. “That’s what you want as a hitter, and I think that’s what’s been the difference between the last two weeks (versus) the weeks before.”
Hernandez entered May with a .701 OPS, and had the second-worst wRC+ among qualified hitters heading into the road trip (though it still sat at 108, above league average). The veteran credited his plate approach when asked about the reasons for his recent success.
May 20, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernandez (37) points skyward after hitting a solo home run during the ninth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
“I think they’ve been pitching me the same way they used to pitch me when I was hitting third or fourth, top of the lineup,” Hernández added. “I think they’re just realizing that I’m not swinging at a lot of pitches out of the strike zone, so I’m getting more opportunities for better pitches to hit.”
Hernandez brought his OPS up to .797 with his offensive explosion, and has seven homers with 31 RBIs on the year.
Hernandez became a Dodger ahead of the 2024 season, and has heavily contributed to the team’s offense since his arrival. He had a 121 OPS+ through 288 games across his first two seasons in LA, driving in 188 runs with 58 homers.
He is on track to have a similarly stellar season this year, and has once again turned into an RBI machine in the middle of the lineup. Hernandez’s 31 RBIs this year rank second on the team behind Andy Pages, who has 45. Prior to a groin strain in May 2025, Hernandez led MLB in RBIs.
May 23, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernandez (37) celebrates while rounding the bases after hitting a home during the fourth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
The Dodgers will hope Hernandez can keep up his All-Star form as they search for their third consecutive World Series title. Their next step in getting there comes Monday against the Colorado Rockies, when Hernandez will bat sixth. The first game of that series begins Monday at 6:10 p.m. PT.
How have you felt about Teoscar Hernandez’s performances so far this season?
Continue reading...
Since the first game of the Dodgers’ nine-game road trip May 15, Hernandez is batting .344 with a 1.086 OPS and a 198 wRC+, which ranks second on the team during that stretch behind Shohei Ohtani. His best performance of the bunch came Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers, when he went 3-for-4 with a homer and six RBIs.
“I’m just hitting the ball in the air, hitting it hard,” Hernández said after Saturday’s win. “That’s what you want as a hitter, and I think that’s what’s been the difference between the last two weeks (versus) the weeks before.”
Hernandez entered May with a .701 OPS, and had the second-worst wRC+ among qualified hitters heading into the road trip (though it still sat at 108, above league average). The veteran credited his plate approach when asked about the reasons for his recent success.
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May 20, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernandez (37) points skyward after hitting a solo home run during the ninth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
“I think they’ve been pitching me the same way they used to pitch me when I was hitting third or fourth, top of the lineup,” Hernández added. “I think they’re just realizing that I’m not swinging at a lot of pitches out of the strike zone, so I’m getting more opportunities for better pitches to hit.”
Hernandez brought his OPS up to .797 with his offensive explosion, and has seven homers with 31 RBIs on the year.
How Has Teoscar Hernandez Played Since Joining the Dodgers?
Hernandez became a Dodger ahead of the 2024 season, and has heavily contributed to the team’s offense since his arrival. He had a 121 OPS+ through 288 games across his first two seasons in LA, driving in 188 runs with 58 homers.
He is on track to have a similarly stellar season this year, and has once again turned into an RBI machine in the middle of the lineup. Hernandez’s 31 RBIs this year rank second on the team behind Andy Pages, who has 45. Prior to a groin strain in May 2025, Hernandez led MLB in RBIs.
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May 23, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernandez (37) celebrates while rounding the bases after hitting a home during the fourth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
The Dodgers will hope Hernandez can keep up his All-Star form as they search for their third consecutive World Series title. Their next step in getting there comes Monday against the Colorado Rockies, when Hernandez will bat sixth. The first game of that series begins Monday at 6:10 p.m. PT.
How have you felt about Teoscar Hernandez’s performances so far this season?
Continue reading...
