The Los Angeles Dodgers have been playing some of the worst outfield defense in the majors this year, a truly wild turn for a team with so much talent. It feels like just yesterday everyone was talking about their “glut of quality outfield prospects,” but instead of seeing those guys get a shot, the team has been in a real head-scratcher of a situation, until recently anyway. When the trade deadline hit, my gut told me they hadn’t done enough, even with the Tarik Skubal acquisition. He’s been fine, sure, but I was eyeing Hunter Greene or maybe Sean Maenea for a low-risk play. Turns out, I’d have been dead wrong, Greene’s hurt and Maenea hasn’t exactly lit the world on fire. Sometimes you just gotta laugh at yourself, right?
What Happened to the Outfield Shake-Up?
Fans were expecting something big with all those prospects hanging around. You had guys like Ryan Ward and Alex Call, quality talent that could have been moved for a lottery prospect, clearing the path for James Tibbs III, Josue De Paula, or Zach Erhard to get a real extended look. We needed to see if these guys could contribute or, at the very least, shake up what was a stagnant offense. But nothing. Zip. Zero. Life moved on, and the corner outfield continued to struggle. When the rosters expanded on September 1, you’d think an outfielder call-up was a no-brainer, an audition for a postseason role. Why wouldn’t you?
Dodgers Got Too Cute For Their Own Good
Instead of an outfielder, the Dodgers pulled Dalton Rushing, a catcher who physically couldn’t even play the position due to an arm injury, off the injured list. Seriously, what was that? They also recalled infielder Alex Freeland, who was part of an offensively disappointing platoon that got demoted once Tommy Edman came back. Rushing is back on the IL now, replaced by Eliézer Alfonzo, because he couldn’t hit OR catch. To top it off, they even optioned Alek Thomas, basically signaling no outfield platoons for anyone. It feels like the organization just got a little too clever, not just with the Shohei Ohtani situation, but with their entire outfield strategy.
Teoscar Hernández Rides to the Rescue
But hey, sometimes luck smiles on you when you least expect it. The Dodgers’ wild ride has been totally bailed out,or vindicated, depending on how you look at it,by the absolute resurgence of Teoscar Hernández. Seriously, the guy is turning back the clock to 2024. Remember that home run Hernández hit in the game? It felt like it changed the whole vibe, especially after all the chatter about Tibbs supposedly getting called up when rosters expanded. Hernández’s hot streak is a much-needed shot in the arm for their outfield. Now the Dodgers just need to hold this momentum and see if they can keep this energy going.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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