Dodgers Notes: Hernández, Glasnow, Dreyer, Gervase

Teoscar Hernández formally landed on the 10-day injured list on Friday for a left hamstring strain. On first report, manager Dave Roberts suggested Hernández would miss at least a few weeks of action. The severity and timeline are a bit clearer now, with Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic projecting a one-month absence for a Grade 1 strain.

Hernández called the Grade 1 diagnosis the “best-case scenario” and expressed optimism that he could return in a shorter length of time. In contrast, Roberts took a more cautious tone in light of Hernández’s groin injury last year and diminished numbers upon his return. Hernández put up a 155 wRC+ with nine home runs in 33 games before missing two weeks with the groin injury. However, he had an 84 wRC+ in 410 plate appearances after returning.

This time, when speaking to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register and others, Roberts was mindful of the risks of returning too quickly. “He wanted to get back and felt he was good, and you look back and he wasn’t,” Roberts said of Hernández last year. “So we’re not going to make that mistake again.” Given Hernández’s age (33) and recent injury history, it makes sense to take it slow with his recovery.

Hernández had been off to a strong start before landing on the IL. In 204 plate appearances, he was batting .276/.348/.436 with a 122 wRC+. Hernández is striking out at a 27.0% clip, a 2.5% increase from last year, but he’s made up for it by nearly doubling his walk rate to 9.3%. While not a career high, Hernández’s average and on-base ability mirror his 3.4-fWAR introductory season to LA in 2024. There’s some regression risk with a .355 average on balls in play, but even then, Hernández remains a capable hitter in his 30s.

Of course, it speaks to the Dodgers’ abundance of star players that Hernández can put up a 122 wRC+ and “only” be the fifth-best qualified hitter on the team. All seven of the club’s qualified hitters are above average by wRC+. Shohei Ohtani leads the group with a 150 wRC+. The “worst” qualified hitter on the team is Kyle Tucker, who is still 6% better than average by wRC+ even in a down year. The Dodgers lead the Majors with a 122 team wRC+, with Hernández being a key contributor, but far from the only one.

The Dodgers’ rotation is a similar picture, with plenty of talented arms to go around. However, compared to the offense, the rotation has been disproportionately impacted by injuries this year. Gavin Stone hasn’t pitched since 2024 due to a labrum and rotator cuff repair in his right shoulder, along with continued inflammation. Depth starters Landon Knack and Bobby Miller are on the 60-day injured list with a right intercostal strain and right shoulder soreness, respectively.

Tyler Glasnow (lower back spasms) and Blake Snell (loose bodies in left elbow) are the high-profile starters currently on the IL. According to the team’s injury tracker at MLB.com, Glasnow is expected to return some time in June. However, to hear Roberts describe it, it appears Glasnow “hasn’t gotten over the hump” to progress beyond playing catch right now (link via Ardaya). On the bright side, there are no new issues with Glasnow’s back.

Glasnow has made 47 starts with the Dodgers since arriving via trade in December 2023. As expected, the results have been excellent. Glasnow has a 3.27 ERA in 264 innings with the team, while his 31.2% strikeout rate is fourth-best among starters with 250 innings or more in that span. Also as expected, he’s missed significant time due to injury. Glasnow has now been on the IL four times with the Dodgers, including a prior stint for lower back tightness in 2024. Today’s update could hint at a longer-than-expected absence for Glasnow, perhaps moving his return closer to the All-Star break than June.

Turning briefly to the bullpen, the Dodgers have activated lefty Jack Dreyer off the 15-day injured list and optioned righty Paul Gervase to Triple-A, according to Ardaya. Dreyer returns after a two-week absence due to left shoulder discomfort. Prior to landing on the IL, Dreyer had a a shiny 2.08 ERA in 21 2/3 innings out of the ‘pen, mostly in low-leverage spots. His 28.6% strikeout rate and 7.1% walk rate are both improvements over last year, so he’ll likely stick around. As for Gervase, he only got into one game in this most recent call-up, throwing two scoreless innings on May 22nd. Gervase has now been recalled and optioned twice in 2026 and figures to repeat that pattern whenever the Dodgers need a fresh arm.

Photo courtesy of Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images