While Teoscar Hernández took somewhat of a back seat to some of the bigger names the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired during the offseason, he still represented a potential impact addition for the club.
Hernández was coming off a down year for the Seattle Mariners, but attributed a lot of that to not being fully comfortable and picking up the ball well at T-Mobile Park.
The right-handed slugger got off to a slow start with his new team, but came through with a big game on Friday to lead the Dodgers to a 6-3 victory.
“Oh yeah,” Hernandez replied when asked if he prefers Dodger Stadium to his old ballpark. “I mean, you saw it today. A little better.”
Hernández finished his day going 2-for-3 with two home runs and 4 RBI, giving him his first two long balls with the Dodgers.
“It’s good,” Hernández said. “It feels great, obviously, when you get a good pitch to hit. I was missing yesterday.
“Today, I was just thinking to get a good pitch like I did yesterday and put a good swing on it. That’s what happened.”
Hernández has struck out in nearly half his at-bats to begin the season, but the Dodgers don’t expect that to be an issue and feel he will continue contributing with his extra-base hit ability.
“We know that when he makes contact with the baseball, it comes off pretty hot,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think they were trying to go up in the zone because he hasn’t been getting to the ball up in the zone.
“So for him to put a really good swing, I thought that was something we’re used to seeing and that’s why he’s in a Dodger uniform. To go backside with the fastball and pull a breaking ball in the air, I expect more of that to come.”
The breakout game came as the Dodgers were facing a left-handed pitcher, which Hernández has historically mashed. The key appeal to the Dodgers signing him was his ability to slug against southpaws.
But Hernández had not seen a lefty to begin the year, which may have contributed to his somewhat slow start. However, he didn’t let that get him down.
“I’m always happy,” Hernández said. “It doesn’t matter if we’re facing a left-hander or right-hander. I’m just trying to do my job and do it the best way that I can.”
Teoscar Hernández enjoying being in talented Dodgers lineup
Even though it took Hernández a few games to find his offense, the Dodgers’ lineup has helped pick him up, which left him unworried about when that production would come.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s early or late,” Hernández said of getting results with his new club. “I’m just happy everything is going in a good way. We’re scoring runs and winning ballgames.”
The Dodgers big three with Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman draw all the attention, but Hernández has also taken notice of the rest of the roster.
“Man, when you have a good lineup it’s always fun,” he said. “But it’s not just about the lineup. The whole team is really good and so deep. I think that’s what we’re going to do this year a lot.”
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