Dodgers’ $66M 3-time Silver Slugger, 2-time All-Star reportedly sidelined for roughly a month originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Los Angeles Dodgers are starting to find their rhythm again, but injuries have made the journey difficult at times. Their pitching staff, in particular, has been dealing with setbacks throughout the season.

A recent example of the injury bug is Kiké Hernández, who just returned after offseason surgery. In just his second game back, he suffered an oblique injury.

“Just as quickly as the Los Angeles Dodgers got Kiké Hernandez back into the lineup, the veteran utility man was taken away. Hernandez had just been activated off the 60-day injured list following offseason elbow surgery, and will now be out for the foreseeable future due to an oblique injury,” SI’s Matt Levine wrote.

Earlier in the week, shortly after Hernández’s injury, Teoscar Hernández was removed from a game due to injury. He was visibly frustrated when it occurred.

“Teoscar Hernández was very upset in the Dodgers dugout after appearing to injure his left leg in tonight’s game. He slammed his helmet in frustration and Dave Roberts was shaking his head,” Dodgers Nation posted.

After undergoing tests to determine the severity of the injury, it was revealed to be a hamstring strain. Hernández later shared that his recovery timeline is about a month, as he wants to be cautious to ensure it does not linger for the rest of the season.

“Teoscar Hernández said his timeline to return is roughly a month. Since he only had a Grade 1 hamstring strain, he added that it could be sooner — but that he’s also not gonna rush his recovery, to make sure it doesn’t become a lingering problem this year,” California Post’s Jack Harris wrote.

The good news for the Dodgers is their depth. When players like Hernández go down, they have plenty of options capable of stepping in and filling the void. 

Injuries are never ideal for a team, but it is encouraging that Hernández is taking the time he needs to recover properly. Hernandez is currently on a $56 million contract. He will be an important part of the Dodgers’ success down the stretch, so Los Angeles is expected to allow him to return only when fully ready.

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