Teoscar Hernandez is close to getting back in the Dodger blue. And that timing couldn’t be better for a team that’s been patching together its outfield all season.
Dave Roberts told reporters Friday that Hernandez will likely start a minor league rehab assignment early next week. The 33-year-old outfielder has been out since late May with a left hamstring strain, but he ran through a simulated game Thursday without any issues. That was the final box the Dodgers needed checked before sending him to the minors.
The team hasn’t decided where yet. It’s between Triple-A Oklahoma City and Single-A Ontario, though Triple-A makes more sense on paper. Roberts said as much, noting that facing more advanced pitching would help Hernandez get his timing back quicker. The guy is a two-time All-Star after all. You want him seeing the best stuff available before he returns to face big league arms.
Hernandez was hitting .276 with a .348 on-base percentage and seven homers through 51 games before the injury. His .436 slugging percentage and 119 wRC+ show he was still a productive middle-of-the-order bat. The Dodgers need that presence back. They’ve been rolling with Alex Call and Ryan Ward in the outfield during his absence, and it’s been a mixed bag. Ward has been a nice surprise with three homers and an .862 OPS in limited action, but Call has managed just a .688 OPS across 43 games. That’s not exactly striking fear into opposing pitching staffs.
Contract and Return Timeline
Hernandez is in year two of that three-year, $66 million deal he signed before 2025. He’s making just under $20 million this season with a bump to $22 million next year. The Dodgers also have a $15 million team option for 2028. So there’s some long-term commitment here, not just a rental situation.
If everything goes smoothly on the rehab assignment, Hernandez could be back in the lineup within a week or so. The Dodgers have been banged up all over the diamond this year, and getting one of their key run producers back would be a huge boost as they fight to stay on top of the NL West. The next few days will tell us how close he really is.
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