Healthy, Slimmer Teoscar Hernández 'out To Prove Something' This Season With Dodgers

PHOENIX — A slimmer Teoscar Hernández reported to Camelback Ranch this week, consenting to return connected a caller domiciled successful nan Dodgers’ quest for a three-peat.

Hernández acknowledged Tuesday that he played done a nagging near groin wounded past year, which forced him to miss clip early successful nan season.

“I didn’t get backmost successful my health,” Hernández said. “When I sewage backmost from nan injury, I was fighting done it. Obviously, I didn’t opportunity anything. I conscionable wanted to beryllium connected nan section and effort to thief nan team.”

Hernández says he was overweight successful 2025, and took amended attraction of his assemblage this past winter.

“It’s a operation of eating really bully aliases knowing what you’re eating, and moving a small harder than normal,” Hernández said. “But, correct now I’m emotion really good. Back to nan measurement I utilized to be. My full profession I utilized to beryllium 204-205 [lbs.], successful that range. Last year, I was a small complete [that], but I’m backmost to normal correct now.”

Hernández says nan other weight he had put connected undoubtedly slowed him down past season.

“[As] nan play [went], I realized that I wasn’t moving nan measurement I cognize I tin move,” Hernández said. “And that was 1 of my goals for nan offseason, trying to get backmost successful nan style I utilized to be, nan weight that I cognize that I tin beryllium and I tin execute really good. So, that was nan main extremity for this offseason.”

The seasoned area outfielder played 134 games successful 2025, down 20 games from nan 154 he played nan play prior, his first pinch nan Dodgers. He besides saw a diminution successful location runs (33 to 25), RBI (99 to 89), batting mean (.272 to .247), on-base percent (.339 to .284) and OPS (.840 to .738) from 2024 to 2025.

Dodgers head Dave Roberts said he expects Hernández to bounce back.

“He’s 1 of our champion run-producers,” Roberts said. “And past if you look astatine this lineup, location should beryllium a batch of guys connected guidelines pinch him up to bat. So, I deliberation that this could beryllium a twelvemonth wherever he really drives successful a batch of runs. He should thrust successful a batch of runs this year. I deliberation he’s retired to beryllium something, which is good.”

Hernández chiefly played near section successful his first play pinch nan Dodgers, earlier taking complete right-field duties successful 2025. With nan Dodgers signing four-time All-Star Kyle Tucker to a four-year, $240 cardinal statement complete nan winter, Hernández will return to near field.

“We made nan signing and past I ended up reaching retired to Teo and said, ‘This is what’s going to happen,’ and he gave maine a large thumbs up,” Roberts said. “And he’ll beryllium fresh to go. I deliberation it conscionable speaks to nan guys we person successful nan room. If winning is nan astir important thing, past it doesn’t matter nan domiciled [or] nan position.”

Hernández recalls nan speech pinch Roberts being short.

“He told me, ‘Look, you’re moving to near field,” Hernández said. “And I said, ‘OK, let’s do it.’ That’s astir it. I’m fresh successful immoderate measurement that they whitethorn request me. I conscionable want to beryllium location and beryllium connected nan field, and conscionable play each day.”