Miguel Rojas was left off the Dodgers’ NLCS roster on account of {a partially} torn left adductor muscle, and the infielder has already stated he’ll have to endure surgical procedure to appropriate the issue after the season is over. Nonetheless, as Rojas advised Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Occasions, he’s additionally coping with a sports activities hernia that can require extra surgical consideration.
Regardless of all of it, Rojas remains to be hoping he can heal up sufficient within the interim to be a part of a possible World Sequence roster if the Dodgers can get previous the Mets. Rojas suffered the adductor damage within the final week of the common season and was in a position to play in three video games within the NLDS (hitting two singles in eight plate appearances) however hasn’t performed since he was eliminated for a pinch-runner within the third inning of Recreation 3.
Assuming Los Angeles did advance to the Fall Traditional, there’s apparent threat for the Dodgers in rostering a participant who clearly received’t be at something near one hundred pc. Groups could make (with league approval) injury-related roster substitutions as soon as the World Sequence begins, but that wouldn’t stop the Dodgers from discovering themselves short-handed throughout a sport if Rojas needed to make one other early exit. The choice will in the end hinge on each Rojas’ well being and what the group feels a restricted model of Rojas can nonetheless deliver to the infield combine. Different accidents may even be components, just like the hip flexor problem that stored Gavin Lux out of Recreation 2 of the NLCS.
With these well being points mounting, Enrique Hernandez has been a godsend for the lineup, because the utilityman moved into the beginning lineup as soon as Rojas went down. Since Tommy Edman took over for Rojas at shortstop, Hernandez has change into the brand new major heart fielder, although Hernandez has additionally seen motion at third and second base, together with a begin at second base in Lux’s place in Recreation 2. Along with the defensive versatility, Hernandez has been scorching on the plate, with two house runs and a 1.084 OPS in 20 PA within the Dodgers’ final 5 video games.
Hernandez had already established a fame for himself as a clutch postseason hitter previous to 2024, although his improved type would possibly’ve been sparked through the summer time when he began carrying glasses. As The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal notes, a dialog with Martin Maldonado in June impressed Hernandez to endure a watch examination, which revealed an astigmatism in his proper eye. Hernandez began carrying glasses to assist his imaginative and prescient, and after an adjustment interval, he hit .274/.307/.458 slash line over his remaining 180 PA of the common season. Whereas not standout numbers, it was nonetheless a marked enchancment over the .191/.258/.299 line Hernandez posted in his first 213 PA.
In different Dodgers damage information, right-hander Daniel Hudson didn’t pitch in Recreation 2 on account of what supervisor Dave Roberts revealed to media (together with Invoice Shaikin of the L.A. Occasions) described as a “lower-body” downside. Hudson was deemed out there for Recreation 3 and whereas he wasn’t considered one of 5 pitchers used within the Dodgers’ 8-0 win, which may’ve had extra to do with the more and more lopsided rating than with any lingering considerations over his damage.
With gamesmanship in full impact within the playoffs, it isn’t shocking that Roberts wasn’t particular with the character of Hudson’s problem. Any kind of lower-body damage is of explicit concern in Hudson’s case on condition that he tore his ACL in June 2022, after which pitched simply three innings through the 2023 season on account of restoration from that ACL tear after which an MCL pressure.
The excellent news is that Hudson returned from these injury-marred years to ship a wholesome and productive 2024 season. Hudson allowed a ton of exhausting contact and benefited from a .225 BABIP, however he completed the yr with a 3.00 ERA and above-average strikeout and stroll charges over 63 innings out of the Los Angeles bullpen. A postseason hero for the Nationals of their 2019 World Sequence run, Hudson has continued his robust work in October with 3 1/3 scoreless innings to this point in these playoffs.
