“You’ve got to perform” - Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts shares his thoughts on Teoscar Hernandez’s lackluster performance 

The Los Angeles Dodgers had to make a tough decision of having Teoscar Hernandez sit on the sidelines as a healthy scratch during Sunday's series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The outfielder has been struggling in recent games with a .209 average in 68 games, with a poor .634 OPS since June 1.

Manager Dave Roberts, ahead of the game, gave his explanation, saying Sunday's day off followed by Monday's rest day could freshen up Hernandez's mind.

“I just think it’s to the point of the urgency piece,” Roberts said via DodgerBlue.com. “You’ve got to perform. Certain guys earn and deserve from what I see. If you play well, you’re going to play, and I think that’s the way it should be. Especially with where we’re at right now.”

Roberts cited Hernandez's performances against right-handed pitching as a major reason for his struggles. In 332 at-bats against right-handers this season, the two-time All-Star is batting at .232 with a .689 OPS; while on the other hand, batting .290 with an .886 OPS against southpaws in 93 at-bats.

“I think clearly he hasn’t handled right-handed pitching, I think a two-day reset can help,” Roberts said. “He’s an everyday guy, but I do think where we’re at, you’ve got to perform to warrant being out there every single day, regardless.”

Replacing Teoscar Hernandez on the field was Alex Call, acquired from the Washington Nationals before the trade deadline. Heading into the game, Call was batting at .273 for the season but struggled initially after joining LA. He was batting .143 in the first 12 games but had rebounded with a .400 average and 1.105 OPS in the next nine games, before going 1-for-4 on Sunday.

Teoscar Hernadez's defensive game was a major factor in Dave Roberts' decision

Two weeks back, while choosing to talk about the overall performance of his team in defense, manager Dave Roberts explained that he trusted Teoscar Hernandez to do better in right field.

“I do know that Teo feels more comfortable in right," Roberts said. "I know the numbers don’t speak to it this year. I’m counting on him to improve play out there. I really am. I’ll leave it at that.”

However, Hernandez has poor numbers while playing in that position. He has a -9 Fielding Run Value and -9 Outs Above Average, both of which rank poorly among eligible players in the position.