Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed when right fielder Teoscar Hernandez began to turn around his poor run of form towards the end of the regular season.
Hernandez batted .256 in September, his highest mark during a single month since May. He ended the season on a six-game hit streak, and carried his momentum into the postseason.
“It started after that series in Colorado,” said Roberts. “I think that’s when he kind of really turned it on, and it’s a long season for all these guys. But I felt that that’s the point where he was, like, you know what, I’ve got to be better, I gotta play better, I gotta play better defense, I’ve got to dial up the offense. And the offense has really ratcheted it up in September, though.”
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The Dodgers’ final series against the Colorado Rockies ended Sept. 10, and Hernandez was especially hot in the following days. LA’s next series came against the San Francisco Giants, and after going hitless in the opening game, he had back to back multi-hit performances against the Dodgers’ division rivals. He had seven hits across 11 at-bats during these games.
Hernandez featured in 11 more games during the remainder of the regular season, and recorded at least one hit in seven of them.
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The slugger has risen to the occasion, and has perhaps been the Dodgers’ best hitter during the postseason. He had two homers in the Dodgers first game of the playoffs against the Cincinnati Reds, and hit a game-winning three-run shot in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Phillies. His 1.428 OPS leads all Dodgers who have an at-bat in all three postseason games so far.
The Dodgers have a 1-0 series lead over the Phillies heading into the second game of the series, when Blake Snell will make his second start of the postseason. Game 2 begins Monday at 3:08 p.m. PT.
Photo Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
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