After heading into the bottom of the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies all tied up at three, it was clear the Los Angeles Dodgers were going to have to play a mistake-free inning in order to take their game to extra innings.
Unfortunately, the opposite happened, with Teoscar Hernandez dropping what should have been an out when his team needed him most, setting up a walk-off hit by Warming Bernabel that extended the Rockies’ win-streak to four but ended LA’s own winning ways.
While fans were understandably furious about how things shook out, even Dave Roberts couldn’t keep his disappointment to himself after the game, as he noted his right fielder needs to play better if they are going to succeed consistently.
“You know, I don’t know if you would have had a play on that one. I know it shouldn’t have been second and third, you know. But it shouldn’t have ended up at second and third, you know, so then the base hit scores two right there,” Roberts explained.
“So I mean, does he… he’s got to get better out there, and there’s just no way to put it. Yeah, I mean, I know there’s effort, it’s not a lack of effort, but I think the thing is that you know. We just got to kind of get better. We do, and so yeah, I don’t know what else to say.”
Asked what happened at the end of the game, Hernendez tried to explain what went wrong, noting that the team was in no doubles defense and thus, he had a tough play to make in order to get the out.
“We were playing no doubles, and like you said, it’s a big outfield. I was really far and tried to make a play,” Hernandez noted via Dodgers Blue. “I didn’t; it came off my glove, unfortunately. Things happen. I’ve just got to wash it and keep moving forward.”
Would the Dodgers be wise to consider moving Hernandez to left field, allowing Mookie Betts to return to his old position while opening up a long-term spot for Alex Freeland or Tommy Edman at shortstop for the foreseeable future? Fans online have certainly been asking for that outcome, but so far, Roberts has been unwilling to make such a move. If, however, the team continues to lose games because of Hernandez’s defense, then who knows, maybe his hand will be forced.
Dave Roberts reacts to Teoscar Hernández’s dropped ball that led to the Rockies walking off the Dodgers:
“He’s got to get better out there (in RF)… it’s not a lack of effort.”
Via SNLA pic.twitter.com/ZxOXRB3Mg3
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