Teoscar Hernández continued his trend of not only timely hitting but making hard contact as his three-run home run Monday night proved to be the difference for the Los Angeles Dodgers in their 42nd comeback win of the season.
With the Dodgers holding a 2-1 lead over the Cincinanti Reds, Hernández sent a hanging changeup into the home bullpen in left field. The exit velocity on Hernández’s homer was 112.6 mph, good for his hardest-hit ball of the season.
“When you’re able to have a plan and go up there and execute it, I think that’s the result every player is going to get,” Hernández said of hard contact. “Obviously my swing is really good right now. Like I always say, when I can hit the ball hard all over the place, that’s when the confidence level is going to be really high.”
Hernández has been on an upswing since the tail end of the Dodgers’ last road trip. That included hitting a home run against Framber Valdez, though at the time manager Dave Roberts suggested moving the veteran outfielder into a platoon role was going to be beneficial.
The Dodgers ultimately decided against calling up an outfield prospect when active rosters expanded Sept. 1, and Hernández has more than rewarded their confidence.
Having started in all seven games on the homestand thus far, Hernández has produced 14 balls in play with an exit velocity of at least 100 mph. Of those, he’s also tallied five with an exit velocity of 110 mph or more.
“I fixed my mechanics, my swing,” Hernández explained. “Obviously the confidence now that I’ve been taking better at-bats and getting the results I want. And we’re winning. I think confidence is the key for everything.”
When asked for details of the adjustments made, the 33-year-old said putting himself in an improved hitting position has allowed for better pitch recognition and thus has come the hard contact.
Dodgers need Teoscar Hernández
Aside from the production Hernández is providing to an offense that has gone through prolonged lulls this season, his contributions also serve as an emotional lift.
“I’ve said it all along, we’re better when he’s in the lineup,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We’re better when we can feel good about him being in the middle of the order because there’s the threat of slug versus right and left. This last seven or eight days, there really hasn’t been a better player out there.
“So it’s just really good to see that. And also, the joy he brings to the ballclub, you see that translate into the dugout.”
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