TEOSCAR HERNÁNDEZ SEE YOU LATER 😤 #NLDS
Former Blue Jay Teoscar Hernández hits crucial home run as Dodgers advance to NLCS
Photo credit: © Jayne Kamin-Oncea - USA Today
Oct 12, 2024, 08:00 EDTUpdated: Oct 12, 2024, 10:21 EDT
A former Toronto Blue Jay hit another clutch home run.
In the do-or-die Game 5 between the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers, former Blue Jay Teoscar Hernández hit a home run that helped the Dodgers return to the National League Championship Series.
The Dodgers had been hanging on to a 1-0 lead for a while thanks to Enrique Hernández’s solo home run in the bottom of the second, his 14th postseason home run of his career. Stepping up to the plate for the third time in the game, Teo hit his second of the postseason on a 2-1 pitch to give the Dodgers a crucial insurance run. Ultimately, they won the decisive game by a score of 2-0.
This is the first time since 2021 that the Dodgers will play in the Championship Series, as they fell to the Padres in four games during the Division Series in 2022, and were swept by the 2023 National League pennant-winning Arizona Diamondbacks last season. They’ll have a date with the miracle New York Mets on Sunday.
As for Teoscar Hernández, the 31-year-old was traded by the Blue Jays shortly after the conclusion of the 2022 off-season to the Seattle Mariners for Erik Swanson and Adam Macko. The 2023 season wasn’t great for Hernández, but he still managed to ink a one-year deal with the Dodgers during the 2024 off-season.
It was a great year for the outfielder, as he slashed .272/.339/.501 with a career-high 33 home runs in 652 plate appearances. Moreover, he finished with his second-best wRC+ (134) and the second-best fWAR total (3.5) in his career.
In the postseason, the former Blue Jay is slashing .333/.400/.667 with two home runs in 20 plate appearances, with his other home run coming in Game 3, a grand slam to help the Dodgers make that game competitive.
Hernández is once again a free agent once this season ends, and the Blue Jays should do everything in their power to bring back the fan-favourite.
As always, you can follow me on Twitter @Ryley_L_D.
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