Dodgers' Dave Roberts Had Talk With Teoscar Hernandez in September That Sparked Turnaround

""It started after that series in Colorado," said Roberts. "I think that's when he kind of really turned it on, and it's a long season for all these guys. But I felt that that's the point where he was, like, you know what, I've got to be better, I gotta play better, I gotta play better defense, I've got to dial up the offense. And the offense has really ratcheted it up in September, though.""

""The Dodgers' final series against the Colorado Rockies ended Sept. 10, and Hernandez was especially hot in the following days. LA's next series came against the San Francisco Giants, and after going hitless in the opening game, he had back to back multi-hit performances against the Dodgers' division rivals. He had seven hits across 11 at-bats during these games. Hernandez featured in 11 more games during the remainder of the regular season, and recorded at least one hit in seven of them.""

""The slugger has risen to the occasion, and has perhaps been the Dodgers' best hitter during the postseason. He had two homers in the Dodgers first game of the playoffs against the Cincinnati Reds, and hit a game-winning three-run shot in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Phillies. His 1.428 OPS leads all Dodgers who have an at-bat in all three postseason games so far.""

Hernandez began turning his slump around after the Dodgers' final series in Colorado and batted .256 in September, his best monthly mark since May. He finished the regular season on a six-game hit streak and recorded at least one hit in seven of his final 11 games. He produced seven hits in 11 at-bats during consecutive multi-hit games against the Giants. Hernandez hit two homers in the playoff opener against the Reds and delivered a game‑winning three‑run homer in NLDS Game 1, posting a 1.428 OPS through three postseason games.

Read at Dodgers Nation