As the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated their Game 5 comeback against the Padres, one name stood out among the champagne-popping and cheers: Teoscar Hernandez. In a postseason filled with superstars and blockbuster signings, it was Hernandez—a name often overshadowed—that delivered when it counted most, reminding everyone just how valuable he is.
Facing a five-run deficit, Hernandez found himself in a high-stakes moment with the bases loaded and down 0-2 in the count. Lesser hitters might have cracked under the pressure, but not Hernandez. Staying calm, he battled through tough pitches and waited for his moment. And when Padres pitcher Michael King left a sweeper up in the zone, Hernandez launched it into center field for a grand slam that electrified the Dodgers’ dugout and cut their deficit to just one run. As teammate Gavin Lux put it, “He always comes through, and he’s been huge. He’s an RBI machine.”
Despite all the headlines dominated by Shohei Ohtani’s historic $700 million deal, Tyler Glasnow’s extension, and the record $325 million contract for Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Hernandez has quietly been the Dodgers’ secret weapon. Signed on a humble one-year deal, Hernandez has proven time and again that he’s not just along for the ride—he’s driving the team’s postseason push.
With two homers in crucial moments this October, including a solo shot that helped secure Game 5, Hernandez has silenced any doubts. In a season where the Dodgers’ “super team” label had people expecting only the biggest names to come through, Hernandez has shown that he can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the stars. As the Dodgers eye the NLCS, fans can’t help but wonder: Is Hernandez the hidden MVP in LA’s star-studded lineup? Let us know what you think—has Teoscar Hernandez proven himself as the Dodgers’ ultimate under-the-radar hero?
