Teoscar Hernández injury update: Dodgers outfielder avoids IL after getting hit by pitch

The Los Angeles Dodgers may have dodged losing another player to the injured. Outfielder Teoscar Hernández exited Friday’s loss to the Cleveland Guardians (CLE 3, LAD 1) after taking a Matthew Boyd slider to the left foot/ankle in the first inning. Hernández hobbled to first base and tried to remain in the game, but was unable to continue. Hernández isn’t in Saturday’s lineup, yet he told reporters that for now he’ll avoid the injured list with an eye on returning come Monday or Tuesday if the pain proves manageable. 

Manager Dave Roberts had expressed concern after Friday’s game: “He’s as tough as they come and he could barely move his foot. We’ll give him a couple of days to see how he comes out,” Roberts said (via MLB.com). “… He doesn’t come out of games. Afterwards, the pain typically subsides for him, but it didn’t. It’s concerning.”

Here is the pitch that caused the injury:

Hernández, 31, is hitting .266/.331/.488 with 29 doubles and 28 home runs this season. The Dodgers signed him to a one-year, $23.5 million contract this past winter and he’s been one of the best under-the-radar signings of the offseason. 

With Hernández sidelined for at least a couple days, the Dodgers will likely go with Andy Pages and Tommy Edman alongside Mookie Betts in the outfield. Kevin Kiermaier, Enrique Hernández, and Chris Taylor are options as well. The Dodgers would seem likely to summon James Outman to fill the roster spot if Hernández does eventually land on the injured list. Outman would be another outfield option.

Hernández’s injury came a few hours after the Dodgers placed righty Gavin Stone on the injured list with shoulder inflammation. He was the club’s only pitcher to make every start this season. The Dodgers are also without Tyler Glasnow (elbow) and Clayton Kershaw (toe), though Yoshinobu Yamamoto (shoulder) is expected to rejoin the team Tuesday.

Friday’s loss dropped the Dodgers to 84-57. They are a game behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the best record in baseball. Los Angeles has a four-game lead over the San Diego Padres in the NL West, though the Padres have won the season series and hold the tiebreaker, so it’s functionally a three-game lead.

The Dodgers and Padres will play three games at Dodger Stadium from Sept. 24-26. That is the second-to-last series of the regular season. The Dodgers are in excellent position to make the postseason, though the NL West title is not yet in the bag.