Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts spent the final month of the regular season hoping to “figure out” and find “clarity” in left field. Andre Ethier, Curtis Granderson, Kiké Hernandez and Joc Pederson all saw time at the position over the last few weeks.
Although the Dodgers have not yet announced their NLDS roster, Roberts said the club will start Hernandez in left field when the opposing pitcher is left-handed. Hernandez hit .270/.367/.579 with 13 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs and 27 RBI in 177 plate appearances against southpaws this season.
That’s compared to a .159/.244/.255 slash line, with 11 doubles, one home run and 10 RBI in 165 plate appearances against righties.
Hernandez enjoyed a bounce-back season after struggling throughout 2016. Despite the down year he was with the Dodgers for the NL Championship Series after being left off the NLDS roster.
Over his career, Hernandez is 4-for-21 with three runs scored, five walks and six strikeouts across 10 playoff games (six starts). All of Hernandez’s hits came during the 2015 NLDS, when he started in two of four games played, because the team faced a lefty.
Whereas the Dodgers split left-field duties last October between Howie Kendrick and Andrew Toles, that figures to fall on Hernandez and Granderson this season. Ethier and Pederson are being considered for a spot off the bench as a left-handed bat.
Hernandez’s first opportunity may come in Game 1 on Friday. Should the Arizona Diamondbacks win the NL Wild Card Game, they presumably would open their series against the Dodgers with Robbie Ray on the mound.
