Dodgers shuffle lineup as Roberts rests Hernandez, gives Call another chance
LOS ANGELES — Teoscar Hernandez sat out Sunday’s matinee as manager Dave Roberts mixed things up to give the lineup a little rest while aiming to capitalize on a hot stretch from Alex Call. Call started in right field, taking advantage of Hernandez’s struggles against right-handed pitching and the benefit of a two-day reset with Monday’s off day.
Roberts said the decision was a blend of timing and opportunity. “Clearly he hasn’t handled right-handed pitching. I think that a two-day reset (with Monday’s off day) could help,” Roberts said, explaining that Hernandez remains an everyday player but that performance dictates playing time. “It’s a little combo.”
Hernandez’s splits this season illustrate the challenge: in 44 games against lefties, he’s hitting .290 with an .886 OPS, but against right-handers, he’s .232 with a .689 OPS across 109 games. He has five homers in August, yet is just .211 with a .670 OPS this month, after a troublesome June tied to leg injuries that limited him to a .189/.590 line.
Call, acquired at the trade deadline for his defense and left-handed excellence, has shown improvement at the plate of late. After a rough start—hitting .143 with a .470 OPS and no homers in his first 12 games with the Dodgers—he’s bounced to .400 with a 1.105 OPS and a home run in nine games prior to Sunday. He faced right-hander Brandon Pfaadt on Sunday, hoping to continue that recent surge.
Roberts emphasized the openness to lineup changes as a method to improve performance down the stretch. “No one will be exempt. No one. I just think we’ve got to play the best players and that’s the way it should be,” he said, adding that while Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts will unquestionably play, others will earn opportunities if they deserve them.
Easing back in and roster management also featured in the day’s notes. Right-hander Michael Kopech is slated to rejoin the Dodgers’ bullpen this week, though not in the high-leverage roles he held late last season. “I’m going to ease him in,” Roberts said, with a plan still developing as Kopech rebuilds command after rehab outings that have included a rough closer look at Triple-A OKC.
Injury and return updates also shaped the roster. Third baseman Max Muncy, currently sidelined by an oblique strain and a lingering respiratory illness, is targeting a return on the upcoming homestand after Monday’s off day, with his work plan including swinging against a high-velocity pitching machine. The team also expects to add two players to September rosters—Kopech and infielder/outfielder Hyeseong Kim, who is finishing a rehab stint for left shoulder bursitis. Kim has batted .304 with two homers and 15 RBIs in 58 games, seeing time at second base, shortstop and center field, with a possible move to left field if needed.
Also noted were Tommy Edman (ankle) and left-hander Alex Vesia (oblique) as players on rehab trajectories, with Edman heading to a minor-league assignment this week and Vesia gearing up for a short rehab stretch.
Up next, after Monday’s off day, the Dodgers travel to face the Pirates with Clayton Kershaw expected to start for Los Angeles (LHP, 9-2, 3.06 ERA) against an as-yet-undetermined Pittsburgh starter.
Bottom line
The Dodgers continue to balance rest, development, and performance as they push toward September. The Hernandez-Call shuffle underscores a broader willingness to adapt on the fly, while Kopech’s return and Muncy’s gradual comeback add depth to a roster intent on sustaining momentum into the season’s final stretch. Call’s recent production provides a tangible payoff when given an opportunity, and the club’s approach signals a proactive strategy to maximize every asset on the roster.