Aug 16, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Teoscar Hernandez (37) reacts after hitting a home run during the fifth inning against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images William Liang-Imagn Images

Dodgers Manager Calls Out Teoscar Hernandez for Missing Key Piece of Game

Originally posted on Los Angeles Dodgers on SI
By Nelson Espinal | Last updated Sep 4, 2025 1:00 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called out Teoscar Hernandez for lacking a specific trait that he previously had.

Hernandez got benched on Sunday and got the day off on Monday, though he ended up returning on Tuesday.

He went 2-for-4 with an RBI on his return, but he made yet another fielding error when he dropped a fly ball that ended up becoming a double.

The mistake from Hernandez captures how his season has gone so far. The right fielder sits in the third percentile of fielding run value, according to Baseball Savant.

On top of his fielding woes, he is not hitting the ball well enough to account for the poor fielding.

He got off to a strong start, but on the season as a whole, he is hitting .246/.284/.450 with 21 home runs.

Manager Dave Roberts addressed his poor results this season, pointing to one key trait that he is lacking, which is making all the difference.

“Teo is a guy that we counted on a lot last year in the biggest of moments,” Roberts said, per Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register.

“He’s a guy that I really admire, because he can balance the fun part of baseball but also have that edge. And I think we’ve lost a little bit of that edge over the last couple months.

"So I think, for me, I want to see that edge, that fight, that fire, and I’ll bet on any result. And so that’s for me, it’s like, I just want to see that.

"We’re past the mechanics part of it, and let’s just get into the fight. And I’ve seen it, and I believe that’s what’s to come in the next month and beyond.”

When pressed on whether he had a direct conversation with Hernandez about getting the "edge" back, Roberts did not clarify.

“We’ve had numerous conversations," he said. "So we’re in a good spot. We’re aligned. He knows his value for our ballclub. He knows my expectations of him individually. So we’re in lockstep," he added.

Hernandez was a clutch performer in last season's playoffs, and if he can regain his swing while cleaning up the mistakes, the slugger can make up for a lackluster season after getting a big-money deal over the winter.