Overlooked Dodgers outfielder surfaces in Miami amid Teoscar Hernández injury scare

On Monday night, the Dodgers swapped Teoscar Hernández with Chris Taylor in the fourth inning of their series opener against the Marlins. The team was quick to clarify and deliver the bad news Dodgers fans were already sort of expecting: Hernández was pulled because of hamstring discomfort, and he would be undergoing an MRI to investigate the issue.

Because the Dodgers can't seem to catch a break when it comes to injuries, fans wouldn't be surprised if an IL stint is on the horizon. Tommy Edman was the first position player to go down this year with a sprained ankle; if Hernández joins him, LA will have lost two of their most productive bats.

Hernández will undergo the MRI on Tuesday, so it feels safe to say we won't see him in the lineup that night.

Jack Harris of the LA Times all but confirmed, and alluded to an incoming IL move when he reported that James Outman had joined the Dodgers in Miami, though official word about Hernández has yet to come down.

James Outman spotted in Miami with Dodgers a day after Teoscar Hernández's early exit with hamstring tightness

Outman got off to a slow start through the middle of April, which made him a non-factor in early conversations about what the Dodgers might do with a struggling Andy Pages, but he's picked things up in the last few weeks. On April 28, he was named the Pacific Coast League Player of the Week when he hit .462 with two homers and five RBI on a long road trip for the Comets.

That, of course, isn't a guarantee that Outman will be able to produce when he comes back to the majors. He has yet to make his big league season debut, and it was pretty clear from the outset that he would only get a chance in the unfortunate event of an injury to a key player.

It doesn't speak particularly well to the Dodgers' faith in their bench, either, as Chris Taylor clearly can't be trusted with a regular starting role.

Last year, Outman hit .279 with a .933 OPS in Triple-A between his sporadic promotions to the majors, but only hit .147 with a .521 OPS with the Dodgers. A hot week in Oklahoma City is kind of promising, but he's a far from reassuring replacement for one of the Dodgers' most valuable bats.