LOS ANGELES — Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández was out of the lineup for Sunday’s series finale against the Houston Astros, but not because of his recent struggles at the plate or the lingering groin issue that kept him out earlier this season. According to manager Dave Roberts, Hernández is dealing with a sore foot after fouling a ball off it, and the team is currently gathering more information.
“He’s not playing today,” Roberts said during his pregame availability. “He’s a little banged up with the foot from the foul ball. That’s actually the reason why he’s not in there today.”
Hernández has hit just .188 over his last 30 games with a .320 slugging percentage, and his movement in right field has appeared limited at times. When asked whether the Dodgers would consider giving Hernández an extended break through the All-Star break to let him recover more fully, Roberts said it depends on how his foot responds.
“I’ve tried to give him certain days to get back, you know, to give a blow here or there,” Roberts said. “To be quite honest, I’m going to see how his foot feels. If we get some testing, that might kind of paint a better picture.”
Roberts made it clear that if Hernández is healthy, the team won’t sit him down just for the sake of extra rest. “If he’s fine to play, I’m not going to just sit him for a week when he says he feels good,” Roberts said.
When asked about the difference in workload management between pitchers and position players, Roberts acknowledged the Dodgers take a more cautious approach with arms due to the long-term risk. “I think the biggest thing is on the pitching side, typically when there’s overexertion or workload, you’re talking about arm injuries that potentially could affect the season or the following season,” he explained. “Where typically with position players, if they’re fatigued or tired, that doesn’t lead to season-ending injuries or the following [season].”
Although Hernández’s groin issue earlier this year caused concern—and was even one of the reasons he declined to participate in the Home Run Derby—Roberts does not believe that injury is still a factor in his current performance. “I do think there are some swing mechanic things that need to get cleaned up,” he said. “More speaking to the path to the baseball. The sprint speed, the reaction time—all is in line with what he’s done defensively. Certainly not playing right field the way he’s capable of and what we’ve seen. But I don’t think it’s the groin or the hip flexor or whatever it was that’s the reason.”
Still, an injured list stint hasn’t been ruled out. “We’re getting scanned right now on the foot,” Roberts said. “So we’re kind of trying to figure out what that looks like.”
The Dodgers are also dealing with other bumps and bruises. Tommy Edman, who was hit on the toe in Saturday’s game, is feeling the effects. “Tommy’s got a toe thing. He got hit on the toe yesterday,” Roberts said. “So he’s a little hobbly today, too. We’re kind of managing right now. It’s a perfect storm.”
For now, Hernández remains day to day as the team awaits results from imaging. With the All-Star break approaching, the Dodgers will weigh whether a short-term IL stint might ultimately help get him back to full strength for the second half.
