The Los Angeles Dodgers played a fourth consecutive game Tuesday night without Corey Seager, who remains limited by a Grade 1 hamstring strain. Seager continued to go through pregame drills in effort to gauge his availability.
Without their starting shortstop the Dodgers again turned to Kiké Hernandez, who’s manned the position in each of the past four games. He turned in a highlight-reel stop in the fifth inning to rob Martin Maldonado of a base hit.
Hernandez dove to his left to make a backhanded stop on one-hopper and completed the play by making a strong throw from his knees.
“Wow,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said following his club’s shutout win. “That was as good as you’re going to see this year.
“I think as far as difficulty, to number one, catch the baseball but still have the arm strength to make the throw, is very difficult.”
The past few weeks have been a bit of a showcase for Hernandez, who’s made a pair of impressive plays in the outfield. He made a game-saving catch against the Cincinnati Reds and more recently against the New York Mets, Hernandez stepped in front of Franklin Gutierrez to catch a fly ball that turned into a double play when he fired a strike to home plate.
Hernandez has started games this season at first base, second base, third base, shortstop and all three outfield positions.
