GLENDALE, Ariz. — Intent on coming back from a down year, Teoscar Hernández cut down a little himself.
Hernández came into Dodgers camp with a trimmer physique, having shed 12 pounds in the offseason. He felt that he was a little heavier than usual last season, and he’s hopeful that getting back to where he was in previous years can help him perform better.
“I wasn’t moving the way I know I can move,” Hernández said Tuesday. “That was one of my goals for the offseason — trying to get back in the shape I used to be, the weights that I know I can perform really good.”
Hernández didn’t physically feel at his best for much of last year. He spent about two weeks on the injured list with a left groin strain in May, and he later said the injury lingered throughout the season. It impacted all aspects of his game, and coming off one of his best seasons at the plate in 2024, Hernández regressed in ’25, hitting .247 with a .738 OPS in 134 games. He was also worth minus-9 outs above average, the fourth-worst mark among qualified right fielders.
While Hernández took it upon himself to make a personal change to address last year’s shortcomings, the addition of star right fielder Kyle Tucker brought a change that was out of his control: Hernández will shift to left field, where he saw most of his time in 2024.
Hernández is embracing the position change, and he’s motivated to do more than just reverse his defensive woes.
“I think for every position player, getting a Gold Glove is one of the goals,” Hernández said. “In my career, I have a Silver Slugger. I’ve got [World Series] rings now. … It’s hard to say, but two, three years more for me in my career — I want to go home having won a Gold Glove. I’ve been working really hard for it, and let’s see what happens this year.”
Ohtani is one uncertainty, as he will likely not be able to ramp up fully as a pitcher while he’s away from the Dodgers for the World Baseball Classic. But the team is confident that he will begin the season in the rotation nonetheless.
The biggest question mark is Snell, who is the only pitcher of those six who has not thrown a bullpen or live session this spring. Snell has been playing catch, but he is slow-playing his throwing progression after discomfort in his left shoulder lingered into the offseason.
As time goes on, the Dodgers will have to decide who will be the first name behind the top six on the rotation depth chart. And while Gavin Stone and River Ryan are strong options, both missed the entire 2025 season due to major surgeries. One of the first names that came to president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman’s mind: Justin Wrobleski, who spent most of last year pitching in relief.
“I think we still see him as a starter long-term,” Friedman said. “I think his ability to grow and mature and learn how to harness his stuff and compete in those moments will serve him well as he tries to navigate a lineup two, three times. He’ll certainly be a candidate. He was also so good out of the ‘pen, we have to weigh that.”
The new guys
Ahead of the first full-squad workout, manager Dave Roberts gave his usual address to the team, reminding his players of what they have accomplished as back-to-back champions and setting the stage for this year’s three-peat bid.
A handful of players spoke as well, including the two highest-profile additions to the Dodgers: Tucker and closer Edwin Díaz.
“It was just more about what made the Dodgers attractive to them,” Roberts said. “I think it’s powerful for our guys to hear it from the other side, from somebody who hasn’t been here. It was a great message, quick notes from each of those guys.”
