Teoscar Hernández, sidelined since May 29 with a left hamstring strain, is cleared to begin a Minor League rehab assignment early next week after completing a simulated game without setbacks. With the Dodgers preparing for Friday’s opener of a three-game serie
When the Los Angeles Dodgers open a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday. a familiar middle-of-the-order bat could be edging back into place. Manager Dave Roberts confirmed that outfielder Teoscar Hernández is progressing through his return from the injured list and is expected to start a Minor League rehab assignment early next week.
The 33-year-old has been sidelined since May 29 with a left hamstring strain. As part of his recovery process. Hernández completed a simulated game on Thursday and. crucially. came through the workout without any reported setbacks. After that session, the Dodgers cleared him to begin game action in the minors.
The organization has not finalized where Hernández will rehab. though Triple-A Oklahoma City and Single-A Ontario are both under consideration. Roberts suggested Triple-A could be the preferred option. because it would give the two-time All-Star a better look at more advanced pitching while he regains timing at the plate.
Hernández’s likely return timing matters for the Dodgers beyond just the emotional boost of having a proven run-producer back in the lineup. Los Angeles has dealt with several position-player injuries this season, and in his absence the outfield has leaned on Alex Call and Ryan Ward.
Ward produced three home runs, 11 RBIs, and an .862 OPS in 43 at-bats over 15 games. Call, meanwhile, logged a .688 OPS in 89 at-bats across 43 games. Those numbers have helped steady the lineup. but Hernández’s return would still represent a clear shift—especially given what he had been providing when he was healthy.
Before the injury, Hernández remained a crucial run-producing bat in the middle of the Dodgers’ order. Through 51 games this season, he owned a .276/.348/.436 slash line across 181 at-bats, along with seven home runs, two stolen bases, and a 119 wRC+.
The question now is how quickly his rehab can turn into major league at-bats. Hernández is currently in the second year of the three-year, $66 million contract he signed before the 2025 season. He is earning just under $20 million in 2026, with that salary set to increase to $22 million next year. The Dodgers also hold a $15 million team option for the 2028 season.
If the rehab assignment progresses as expected, Hernández could rejoin the major league roster very soon.
The sequence of the past few days has been straightforward—Thursday’s simulated game went clean. the Dodgers moved him to the next step. and now the only remaining uncertainty is where that next step will take him. What happens in the minors won’t just be about recovery; it will decide how fast the Dodgers can reclaim the lineup spot Hernández occupied before May 29.
Dodgers Teoscar Hernández rehab assignment injured list left hamstring strain Dave Roberts Orioles Oklahoma City Ontario Alex Call Ryan Ward