Dodgers activate Teoscar Hernández off injured list, option James Outman
Hernández missed 12 games with a left groin strain, and played in one minor league rehab game on Saturday with Low-A Rancho Cucamonga.
Eric Stephen is the managing editor of True Blue LA, where he’s covered the Dodgers since 2009, and the co-host of the Three-Inning Save podcast. He’s on Bluesky at @eri
The Dodgers activated Teoscar Hernández off the injured list on Monday, after the outfielder missed 12 games with a left groin strain.
Hernández on the season is hitting .315/.333/.600 with nine home runs and a 157 wRC+. When he was placed on the injured list on May 6, Hernández was leading the majors with 34 runs batted in.
He injured his leg while running in the outfield to make a catch on May 5 against the Marlins.
Hernández faced live pitching in simulated games several times over the last week and a half, along with fellow rehabber Tommy Edman, in addition to doing rounds of running and pregame drills. Hernández played in one rehab game over the weekend, playing four innings in right field for Low-A Rancho Cucamonga.
He walked twice and struck out in his three plate appearances. He got to test the groin a bit after the first walk, going from first to third base on a single and scoring on a wild pitch.
James Outman was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Outman played in nine of the 12 games for which he was active after getting called up on May 6, including seven starts in center field. He hit two home runs, including one on Thursday against the A’s, but had only three hits in 24 at-bats plus three walks and 13 strikeouts.
With Hernández out, Andy Pages shifted from center to right field, where he’s already amassed a whopping seven Defensive Runs Saved and two Outs Above Average. The open spot in the outfield was center. In addition to Outman’s seven starts, rookie Hyeseong Kim started in center twice, along with Chris Taylor and Kiké Hernández once each over the last two weeks, plus Edman on Sunday once he was activated off his own injured-list stint.
Crippled Dodgers limp into next series with Arizona
Fresh off of being swept by the cross-town Angels, the Dodgers get ready to face the Diamondbacks again. The last time was a battle, and the Dodgers hope to not have that again to try to save some of their weary bullpen.
The Dodgers are really hurting right now, in more ways than one. The loss of multiple pitchers to injuries, the cuts of long-time popular teammates in Austin Barnes and Chris Taylor, and being swept at home by the Angels — something that hasn’t happened in a three-game series since 2010.
There are some bright spots, however. Tommy Edman has returned from his injury stint, and the Dodgers called up the highly regarded prospect, catcher Dalton Rushing. Both should give the lineup more length, and pop. Max Muncy has nine RBI over his last seven games, seemingly out of his horrific slump. Teoscar Hernandez is also expected to rejoin the lineup as early as Monday.
