Already without one of their most versatile players as Chris Taylor recovers from a left forearm fracture, the Los Angeles Dodgers saw their next multifaceted talent suffer an injury as Kiké Hernandez was removed from the Freeway Series opener in the fifth inning.
The Dodgers announced it was due to left hand soreness. “He’s as tough as they come,” manager Dave Roberts said after Wednesday’s loss. “Just an awkward swing that I saw he took. For him to need some more time to kind of gather himself, he never wants to come out of any game.
“We took some X-rays, and the X-rays were negative. Obviously, we’re talking about symptoms and how he feels when he swings and it’s affecting his swing, we want to be mindful of that. We just felt it was best to get him out of the game.”
Hernandez appeared to injure that left hand during his at-bat in the bottom of the fourth. He hunched over in pain as Roberts and a trainer rushed out of the dugout to check on him.
A brief conversation was followed by Hernandez walking back toward home plate to continue with the at-bat, which ended in a pop-up to end the inning. Matt Beaty entered the game at first base, shifting Max Muncy over to second.
Hernandez went 0-for-2 prior to being removed because of the injury. He entered play batting .365/.431/.596 with three doubles, three home runs, 11 RBI and six walks in 17 games (12 starts) during July.
Roberts attributed that recent success to Hernandez offering at better pitches. “The main difference is he’s staying in the strike zone considerably more,” Roberts noted.
“Even last night, he takes a first-pitch slider off, gets into a good count, ball down and away and stays down on it and uses the big part of the field. I think No. 1, staying in the strike zone and using the big part of the field has been the biggest difference. When you’re swinging early or getting behind, it’s tough to kind of work your way back into the count. He’s doing a much better job of that.”
It’s unclear if Hernandez will require a stint on the injured list, but any extended absence could create trouble beyond just second base.
Muncy is capable of playing the position, though the Dodgers may hesitate to move him there full-time, and they seemingly out of right-handed options.
Austin Barnes has occasionally played second base throughout his career, but is an unlikely candidate to platoon with Muncy. While Gavin Lux has impressed since joining Triple-A Oklahoma City, the Dodgers may not yet feel comfortable thrusting him into a larger role that would not be at his natural position.
