Teoscar Hernández avoided a season-ending injury when getting hit by a pitch in his left foot, but likely is going to be out of the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup for multiple games.
Andy Pages started in place of Hernández on Saturday, and hit a home run as part of the Dodgers’ big first inning.
“There’s a little bit of wanting to give Andy a little bit of opportunity,” manager Dave Roberts said when asked about the Dodgers’ plans in left field while Hernández is on the mend.
“There’s a little bit of trying to see if C.T. (Chris Taylor) and Kiké (Hernández) can take advantage of an opportunity. So I haven’t made that decision yet.”
The Cleveland Guardians are scheduled to start right-hander Tanner Bibee in the series finale, and the Chicago Cubs are as well with Kyle Hendriks taking the ball for Monday’s game.
That would suggest Chris Taylor or Kiké Hernández as more likely to start Sunday, but Pages’ home run did come against a righty and he was in the lineup for the rubber match. Taylor entered for Teoscar Hernández on Friday night and went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. He grounded into a double play in the eighth inning with the bases loaded.
The Cubs are due to start left-handers Shota Imanaga and Jordan Wicks to finish out the series at Dodger Stadium, which could bode well for Pages if Hernández misses more time than he hopes.
Pages emerged as a key rookie upon making his MLB debut in the middle of April, but recently had cooled off at the plate while also struggling defensively in center field.
The reality is whether Kiké Hernández, Pages or Taylor is to get an opportunity in left field, it would only be for an extremely small stretch as the Dodgers eagerly await Teoscar Hernández returning.
“Very relieved. Obviously, if it was a fracture, that was probably going to be the end of the season for him, and it would’ve been a huge loss,” Roberts said.
“But with the imaging that we received, information that we’ve received, we feel good about the day-to-day and getting him back, sometime early next week. So I hope it just continues to get better each day.”
Does Andy Pages have role?
Although Pages was the position player the Dodgers added when active rosters expanded for September, it was with the caveat of Roberts admitting he wasn’t certain of what role the rookie would have.
Pages profiles best as a corner outfielder, which doesn’t amount to receiving significant opportunities, assuming health for Hernández and Mookie Betts. The rookie conceivably could carve out a role as a pinch-hitter and earn a spot on the Dodgers postseason roster.
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