Los Angeles Dodgers: Enrique Hernandez must step up in 2019

Every season the Los Angeles Dodgers are looking to build on the past year and that is no different for Enrique Hernandez, who must step up in 2019.

There isn’t much room for improvement when you lose back-to-back World Series but the Los Angeles Dodgers need to make that improvement regardless.

Despite winning the National League Pennant for the second year in a row, the 2018 Dodgers were not as successful as the 2017 Dodgers, despite the talent still being there.

Losing Justin Turner for the beginning of the season and Corey Seager for virtually the entire season did play a role in that. Throw in the fact that the likes of Chris Taylor and Cody Bellinger weren’t quite as good and it makes sense why the division race was a dogfight all year.

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There also was a lot of bad luck. The Dodgers’ run differential would indicate that the team should have been significantly better than they were.

A big reason why the Dodgers were able to still win the National League West was because of certain players stepping up and contributing in 2018 that did not contribute in 2017.

Rookie Walker Buehler became an ace as the season went along and Max Muncy and Matt Kemp held the team together offensively for most of the season.

If the Los Angeles Dodgers are going to win a seventh straight National League West title then there is going to have to be another player or two that steps up in 2019.

Perhaps the most important person that can step up for the team in 2019 is Enrique Hernandez.

This is not to say that Hernandez is not already productive for the Dodgers. He is one of the best utility players in baseball and provides a ton of value both in the clubhouse and the locker room.

He also looked really good at the end of last season and became an everyday guy, although his numbers in the postseason left a lot to be desired.

The biggest reason why the Dodgers need Hernandez to step it up another notch in 2019 is because of the surplus of left-handed hitters. The Dodgers are pretty top-heavy when it comes to left-handed hitters and Hernandez is probably the Dodgers’ second-best right-handed bat.

You could make the case for new signing A.J. Pollock but Hernandez’ batting average last season was one point lower and he had a better OPS.

But even then, the reason why Hernandez is more valuable as a right-handed bat is because of his splits against southpaws. Pollock, contrary to popular belief, was not great against left-handed pitching last season.

Hernandez also took a step back against left-handed pitching last season. He was a .260 hitter against southpaws in 2018 after being a .270 hitter against southpaws the year before. Not a huge regression, but a regression nonetheless.

Hernandez is still better against southpaws but the Dodgers would be much better off if the team can see Hernandez make the leap to at least being a .280 hitter against southpaws.

Because right now, the Dodgers really need a consistent right-handed bat that they can hit between Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy to make relief decisions harder.

Hernandez is the prime candidate to be that guy with Pollock also likely hitting leadoff. His spot in the order can be the engine to drive the team or the spot that stops the momentum.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers need someone to step up into that role and there is no better option than Enrique Hernandez.

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