Teoscar Hernández was among the six Los Angeles Dodgers players selected to the 2024 MLB All-Star Game, marking the second time in his career he’s received the honor.
Hernández last played in the All-Star Game in 2021 with the Toronto Blue Jays during a career-year for the slugging outfielder. He had one more solid season with the Blue Jays before going to the Seattle Mariners, which proved to be a struggle.
The 31-year-old batted .258/.305/.435 with 29 doubles, 26 home runs, 93 RBI, a 107 OPS+, .317 wOBA and 105 wRC+, which were still solid results, but closer to a league average player than a star regular.
Hernández took a one-year prove-it deal with the Dodgers, and the results have been far better. Now an All-Star once again, Hernández noted it means more to him after his down season in 2023.
“Yeah, a little bit,” Hernández said. “A lot of people expected me to not perform well after last season. But in my mind, I was just working hard. I know the things that I can do on the baseball field.
“And when you work hard and you put a lot of things, a lot of effort in, good things happen at the end of the day.”
Hernández is now hitting .259/.319/.483 with 18 doubles, 19 home runs, 60 RBI, a 126 OPS+, .345 wOBA and 127 wRC+, mostly backed by his resurgent power numbers.
He has also come through consistently in clutch moments for the Dodgers, and he has been a key man in the lineup driving runs in.
Hernández was not voted in by fans, but he did finish third in voting on the NL players’ ballot, behind Jurickson Profar and Christian Yelich. Fernando Tatís Jr. was selected by fans to start, but he may not be able to play due to an injury, which could push Hernández into a starting role.
While that may ultimately happen, Hernández has not been informed of that. “No, not yet,” he said.
“I guess maybe in a couple of days, maybe when I get there, I don’t know,” Hernández said. “But I’m going to be ready for it either way.”
Teoscar Hernández wants to play in Home Run Derby
The bracket for the 2024 Home Run Derby is still filling up, and Hernández is hoping to be part of the event. It may even be more likely now that he’s heading to the game in Texas.
“Yeah, yeah. Why not,” Hernández said. “Obviously, in my career, I wanted to be a part of it, see how it feels. Why not try to go for it and win everything?”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is supportive of Hernández making the effort, a different tone than he took with Shohei Ohtani, who continues to rehab his elbow.
“Hopefully it works out,” Roberts said. “If he wants to go out there and hit a bunch of homers and make the fans go crazy, have at it.”
Freddie Freeman will also be joining Hernández during All-Star week, and would love to see his teammate participate in MLB’s annual strength competition.
“I think he’d do just fine. He can punish a baseball. If he wants to do it, I’ll put all my chips on him.”
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