Teoscar Hernandez chases second World Series ring
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Ángel Cantú, Contributor
- October 22, 2024
Teoscar Hernandez brings power to Fall Classic
When picking a new destination via free agency last offseason, Teoscar Hernandez chose the Los Angeles Dodgers in part because he saw the team’s World Series potential.
Hernandez earned his first World Series ring as a rookie in 2017 although he didn’t participate in the now infamous sign-stealing Fall Classic between the Astros and Dodgers.
“One of the biggest reasons I came here is because I know this team will do a lot of things this year,” Hernandez said. “And we showed it throughout the year.”
The Cotui, Dominican Republic, native played in 27 games with the Astros as a rookie in 2017 before he was sent to the Blue Jays at the trade deadline for Francisco Liriano. He could only watch from afar as the Astros beat the Dodgers in the 2017 World Series.
Hernandez had postseason stints with Toronto in 2020 and 2022, but the Blue Jays couldn’t get past the American League Wild Card. The slugger signed a $23.5 million contract with the Dodgers after spending two years with the Mariners.
Hernandez, a nine-year veteran, will finally participate in a World Series. The National League champions feature superstars Shohei Othani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. Hernandez had also been a big part of the Dodgers’ success.
“It means a lot,” Hernandez said of playing in the World Series. “Obviously, I’m really grateful that I’m in this spot right now.”
Home run Hernandez
Home runs have been a key for Hernandez. He hit a career-high 33 home runs this season. Hernandez showcased his power when he won the 2024 Home Run Derby at Globe Life Field. Teoscar Hernandez, 32, also contributed with 99 RBIs and 160 hits.
Hernandez handled his first NLDS appearance with ease. He hit a grand slam in Game 3. Then he crushed a solo home run to seal the best-of-five series over the San Diego Padres. It took the two-time Silver Slugger six games to register a hit against the Mets in the National League Championship Series.
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Nonetheless the two-time All-Star finished the NLCS on a good note heading into the World Series. The 6-foot-2 outfielder registered two hits and an RBI in Game 6 to help the Dodgers eliminate the Mets.
“Certainly his availability has been next level,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Hernandez. “I think he’s played in every game but a few. And the consistency of mind, he’s a pro. He’s not afraid to fail, which I love.”
Strong Latino presence
Los Angeles will meet the Yankees in the World Series. The two top seeds in their respective leagues will meet for the 12th time in the Fall Classic and the first World Series since 1981. Their first meeting in the World Series happened in 1941 when the Yankees defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers. Hall of Famer Lefty Gomez of the Yankees was the only Latino in that Fall Classic.
The script changes this year, though. Latinos are likely to feature prominently in the 2024 World Series, just as they did when rookie Mexican sensation Fernando Valenzuela helped the Dodgers beat the Yankees in the 1981 Fall Classic.
New York is projected to have 10 Latinos on its World Series roster, including ALCS MVP Giancarlo Stanton, superstar Juan Soto and Mexican American Alex Verdugo. Los Angeles is expected to have six Latinos in the Fall Classic, including Enrique “Kikè” Hernandez and Teoscar Hernandez. The Dodgers and Yankees have enormous Latino followings.
Many Latinos in the United States and around Spanish-speaking countries proudly don their Dodgers and Yankees caps. Teoscar Hernandez knows how important this World Series is for Latino communities.
“It’s going to be huge and amazing,” Hernandez said. “This is going to be one the biggest World Series in history. It’s going to be electric. It is not going to be easy for any team. For the fans, I think they dreamed about this from the beginning. And here we are facing each other.”
Many Latino households will surely tune in when the World Series begins Friday night at Dodger Stadium,
“He’s played in big ballgames,” Roberts said of Teoscar Hernandez. “He wants to be in the spot where he can get a big hit.”
Ángel Cantú
Contributor
Our Esquina contributor Ángel Cantú is a co-host for the Full Seam Ahead podcast. He joined Teach for America after graduating from Texas A&M University. He is currently a fourth grade teacher at KIPP Public Schools in Houston.
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