LOS ANGELES – Teoscar Hernandez was not in the Dodgers’ starting lineup Sunday afternoon, with manager Dave Roberts choosing not to call it a typical day game on the bench following a night game.
Instead, Roberts said the move was a way to get Alex Call into the lineup to take advantage of his quality at-bats of late.
Roberts was asked if Hernandez’s day out of the lineup was planned ahead of time or if it was a response to recent struggles.
“A little combo,” Roberts said. “Clearly he hasn’t handled right-handed pitching. I think that a two-day reset (with Monday’s off day) could help. He’s an everyday guy, but I do think that where we’re at, you’ve got to perform too to warrant being out there every single day regardless, right? It’s a little combo.”
In 44 games against left-handed pitching this season, Hernandez is batting .290 with an .886 OPS. In 109 games against right-handers, he is a .232 hitter with a .689 OPS.
While his five home runs in August are second most of any month this season, Hernandez is batting just. 211 with a .670 OPS during this flip of the calendar. Only June was worse, when Hernandez was dealing with leg injuries that limited him to a .189 batting average and a .590 OPS.
Call was acquired at the trade deadline from the Washington Nationals for his above-average play on defense, as well as an ability to hit against left-handers. But he got a chance to show what he could do against Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Brandon Pfaadt on Sunday.
Call struggled upon his arrival, batting .143 with a .470 OPS and no home runs in his first 12 games with the Dodgers. But he was batting .400 with a 1.105 OPS and a home run in nine games since, heading into Sunday’s contest.
If a willingness to make eye-opening lineup changes down the stretch makes some veterans uncomfortable, Roberts won’t apologize for it.
“I think that’s a good thing,” Roberts said. “No one is going to be exempt. No one. I just think that we’ve got to play the best players and that’s just the way it should be, right?”
No one will be exempt?
“Obviously Shohei (Ohtani) is going to be playing. Mookie (Betts) is going to be playing. But the point being is, we’ve got to ramp it up and we’ve got to be better. If some other guys deserve more opportunities, then they’re going to get them. That’s just the way it should be.”
EASY DOES IT
Right-hander Michael Kopech is set to return to the Dodgers’ bullpen this week, but not in the high-leverage roles he was in down the stretch last season. At least not for now.
“I’m going to ease him in,” Roberts said. “I don’t know what that looks like, but we’ll see.”
The hope is that Kopech can harness his command and slide into late-inning appearances as the final month of the regular season progresses.
In his last rehab outing with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday, Kopech gave up three runs with three walks in a third of an inning. He walked multiple batters three times in his seven most recent rehab outings.
“Everything changes at this level,” Kopech said Sunday. “You come up here and you get an atmosphere of the game, you get an atmosphere of the clubhouse, the mindset of competition of playing in the direction of a championship and things like that. Timing is different in that environment than it is in any other environment.
“So I feel pretty good with it all. I feel healthy, and so I think a lot of that will show up as it comes.”
MUNCY DELAYED
Expected to return to the active roster by the time the Dodgers got to Baltimore on the upcoming road trip, third baseman Max Muncy is now expected to return on the homestand that starts next Monday.
Muncy is feeling much better from the oblique strain that landed him on the injured list Aug. 15, but a respiratory illness has delayed his recovery. He is now set to hit off a high-velocity pitching machine during Monday’s off day.
EXPANDED ROSTER
The two extra roster spots for September are expected to go to Kopech and infielder/outfielder Hyeseong Kim, who is finishing his own rehab assignment because of left shoulder bursitis.
“I think that the at-bat quality is fine,” Roberts said. “He’ll be back with us on the road. So just kind of figuring out when he plays. But he’s been good.”
Kim is batting .304 with two home runs and 15 RBIs in 58 games with the Dodgers this season. He has played second base, shortstop and center field this season, with Roberts not ruling out time in left field if needed.
ALSO
Tommy Edman (ankle) was working out in center field Sunday and is set to go on a minor league rehab assignment this week. … Left-hander Alex Vesia (oblique) is set for a short rehab assignment ahead of returning soon.
UP NEXT
After an off day Monday, it will be the Dodgers (LHP Clayton Kershaw, 9-2, 3.06 ERA) at Pirates (TBD), Tuesday, 3:40 p.m. PDT, SportsNet LA, 570-AM