Ohtani, Hernández injuries cloud Dodgers' blowout win
· Yahoo Sports
LOS ANGELES — Another dominant performance by the Dodgers’ offense at Dodger Stadium turned tense in a hurry.
On a night that began with towering home runs, a great Dodger debut from Eric Lauer and another lopsided Dodgers victory, concern quickly shifted toward Kiké Hernández and Shohei Ohtani after both left Tuesday night’s 15-6 win over the Rockies with injuries.
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The Dodgers improved to 35-20 with their 11th win in 13 games and secured another series victory over Colorado, but the clubhouse mood afterward centered around Hernández’s left oblique strain and Ohtani taking a pitch off his right pitching hand.
Mexican Heritage Night at Chavez Ravine brought plenty of celebration. By the end of the night, however, the Dodgers were holding their breath.
Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Enrique Hernandez (8) celebrates with Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) after hitting a solo home run during the third inning against the Colorado...Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Enrique Hernandez (8) celebrates with Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) after hitting a solo home run during the third inning against the Colorado...
Hernández appeared headed for one of his best games of the season before exiting early. He went 2-for-2 with a solo homer in the third inning and a double in the fourth, though it became increasingly obvious something was wrong as he grimaced while running the bases.
After the game, Hernández revealed he originally injured the oblique during batting practice Monday but attempted to play through it.
“I did it during batting practice and I was pretty embarrassed that I did that,” Hernández said. “I didn't really tell anybody about it. I just thought it was a small tweak.”
That optimism disappeared quickly Tuesday night.
Hernández admitted his home run swing came with pain, and the discomfort worsened after his double in the fourth inning when he felt it both swinging and running. Sitting in the dugout beside Dave Roberts, Hernández already appeared to know the outcome.
“I feel pretty defeated right now, and hopefully we get somewhat good news tomorrow,” Hernández said.
The utilityman added he is hoping for a Grade 1 strain.
“I’m hoping best-case scenario, it’s a Grade 1 and at least 2-3 weeks and I’m back,” Hernández said.
Roberts confirmed Hernández is headed to the injured list, though the Dodgers do not yet know the severity of the injury.
“It’s a bummer,” Roberts said. “Not a season-ending thing.”
The Dodgers are already moving quickly to fill the roster spot, with Alex Freeland en route to Los Angeles.
The timing is particularly brutal for Hernández, who battled through injuries last season and spent the offseason working his way back into form. Tuesday night looked like he was back with an offensive performance he was having then it abruptly ended.
The other scare came in the fourth inning when Ohtani was hit by an 85 mph changeup on his right hand, the same hand he is scheduled to pitch with Wednesday.
Fortunately for the Dodgers, it appeared the ball mostly struck the protective guard near Ohtani’s wrist and clipped his pinky rather than hitting flush on the hand.
Dalton Rushing later pinch-hit for Ohtani as the Dodgers opted for caution in a game that was already well out of reach.
Roberts said Ohtani will not require X-rays and is still expected to make his scheduled start Wednesday, though the Dodgers have not yet decided whether he will also serve as designated hitter.
“Clipped his pinky,” Roberts said. “I haven’t decided if he’s gonna hit on Wednesday.”
The injuries overshadowed what otherwise was another overwhelming offensive performance.
Mookie Betts, dropped into the cleanup spot by Roberts, immediately responded with one of his best games of the season. Betts launched a two-run homer in the first inning off Rockies starter Kyle Freeland before adding another blast in the sixth inning for his 32nd career multi-homer game.
Betts finished 3-for-5 with two home runs and continues to look increasingly comfortable in the four-hole. He now has four homers since being activated.
Mookie Betts homers out of the cleanup spot in the @Dodgers order! pic.twitter.com/O2Yzjkbsr2
— MLB (@MLB) May 27, 2026
Andy Pages kept rolling as well. The breakout outfielder crushed his 12th homer of the season in the third inning before adding a two-run double in the fourth that scored Hernández and Ohtani.
Pages now has 49 RBIs, tied for the MLB lead.
Will Smith added another homer during the Dodgers’ six-run sixth inning while Miguel Rojas chipped in an RBI as Los Angeles crossed the 10-run mark for the 10th time this season.
By night’s end, the Dodgers had piled up 17 hits and built a 15-1 lead before Colorado added late runs against Rojas, who pitched the ninth and allowed five runs on eight hits.
Lost somewhat in the offensive explosion was an impressive Dodgers debut from Lauer.
Recently acquired from the Blue Jays, the left-hander gave the Dodgers exactly what it needed, allowing just one run over six innings while striking out four. His lone mistake was a solo homer to Hunter Goodman in the second inning.
Lauer’s final line: 6 innings, 4 hits, 1 earned run, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts on 96 pitches.
“Yeah, it was fun,” Lauer said. “It was nice to get back out there and play some ball again. It’s always fun playing at Dodger Stadium, now I get to do it a lot more so I’m excited about that.”
Lauer also praised his chemistry with catcher Will Smith.
“I think it was good. I think me and Will work really well together,” Lauer said. “I have no complaints, just one not great pitch.”
When asked what the outing might mean for his future role with the Dodgers, Lauer laughed off the question.
“That’s a weird question,” Lauer said with a smile.
“I think the goal for me is to put together a bunch of good outings. After that, we’ll see what the need is and where the need is, we’ll go based on that. My goal as far as I’m concerned is to go out there and have good outings.” Lauer said.
Still, performances like Tuesday’s are exactly why the Dodgers brought him in.
For now, though, the Dodgers leave Tuesday night with far bigger concerns than rotation depth.
They have won four straight games and widened their NL West lead to 3½ games over the Padres. The offense is surging. The pitching staff continues finding answers.
But as the Dodgers prepare to go for a sweep Wednesday night, all attention turns toward Hernández’s MRI results and ensuring Ohtani’s pitching hand is truly okay.