Dodgers sit veteran slugger in surprise move amid recent slump: Not great

ATLANTA –– It wasn’t officially a benching.But by leaving Teoscar Hernández out of the starting lineup on Tuesday, the Dodgers were hoping to prompt a change.In the team’s series-opener against the Atlanta Braves, Hernández’s absence was conspicuous.The club was coming off a day off on Monday.

And Hernández’s replacement in left field, Alex Call, was drawn in for a less favorable right-on-right matchup against Braves starter Bryce Elder.However, Hernández’s struggles of late had warranted action.Over his last 18 games, the veteran slugger had hit just .172 (10-for-58) with no home runs, 22 strikeouts and only two walks.His .441 OPS in that span ranked third-worst in the National League.

And when asked about the quality of his at-bats on Tuesday, manager Dave Roberts didn’t mince his words.“Not great,” he said bluntly.Granted, Roberts made sure to describe Tuesday’s lineup decision as “just a day off for Teo.” He said the 33-year-old would be back in the lineup for the remaining five games on this Atlanta-Detroit road trip.“He’s been grinding,” Roberts said.“I figure give him a couple days and then he’ll be in there.” California's top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.

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Never miss a story In the meantime, though, the Dodgers are hoping Hernández can use the extra time to find an answer to his issues at the plate.“There’s a little mechanics part of it, which is leading to a lot of swing-and-miss, which leads to frustration,” Roberts said.“[He] worked real hard today with the hitting guys.

They said they’ve seen some things in the swing that could help.So I’m encouraged.”There hasn’t been much to be encouraged with in Hernández’s play since he returned from a hamstring strain two months ago.Before that injury, the 33-year-...