Dodgers Injury Update: Teoscar Hernández progress, Will Smith travel update, Blake Treinen

The Los Angeles Dodgers appear to be inching closer to getting one key bat back, but another remains further away than initially expected.

Outfielder Teoscar Hernández is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment Tuesday with Triple-A Oklahoma City, a significant step in his recovery from a left hamstring strain. Manager Dave Roberts told reporters that Hernández could be activated for the Dodgers’ series against the Athletics beginning June 29, which would put him almost exactly on the original one-month timeline.

That is an encouraging development for Los Angeles, especially given the way Hernández was swinging the bat before the injury. After a sluggish April in which he hit .235 with a .701 OPS, Hernández started to heat up in May, batting .325 with seven extra-base hits before pulling up lame on a groundout against the Colorado Rockies on May 27. The Dodgers placed him on the injured list two days later with a Grade 1 strain.

Hernández is expected to play four to five games with Oklahoma City, which hosts Reno this week. The cautious ramp-up makes sense after last season, when Hernández missed less than two weeks with a groin strain but was not the same hitter after returning. He had a .933 OPS before that injury and a .672 OPS afterward.

The news is less encouraging for catcher Will Smith, who is dealing with neck inflammation and is not expected back until July. Smith last played June 5 against the Los Angeles Angels, was scratched the following day and eventually landed on the injured list June 11 after initially being considered day-to-day.

Smith is not traveling with the Dodgers on their upcoming road trip through Minnesota, San Diego and Sacramento, putting his earliest possible return at July 2 against the Padres. It is still unclear whether he will need a rehab assignment before rejoining the club.

In the meantime, Dalton Rushing will continue getting regular work behind the plate. His bat has helped soften the blow, as he has maintained a near-.800 OPS in June, but the defensive gap remains notable. Smith is worth 5 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) this season, while Rushing has recorded -3.

Dodgers Injury Update: Blake Treinen placed on 15-day IL, Chayce McDermott recalled

The Dodgers’ already injury-riddled pitching staff took another hit this weekend, with Blake Treinen landing on the 15-day injured list due to inflammation in his throwing elbow.

Roberts said Treinen felt soreness the day after throwing a scoreless inning in Friday’s 6-5 win over the Baltimore Orioles. Roberts didn't have a firm timeline for his return, but the fact that Treinen is currently resting rather than facing a more serious diagnosis suggests the Dodgers avoided the worst-case scenario.

Still, it’s another concern for a bullpen that has been navigating injuries all season. Treinen has a 3.52 ERA over 23 innings this year, though he had recently shifted into lower-leverage work after some early struggles. Chayce McDermott was recalled from Triple-A in the corresponding move, and Brock Stewart is expected to be activated off the IL soon.

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