Teoscar Hernández hit almost four miles of long balls in Monday night’s home run derby.
His historic win, however, came down to just a few feet.
In a resurgent season that repeatedly has been defined by dramatic moments for the Dodgers slugger, Hernández’s first derby appearance was no different. After advancing through the first two stages by a single home run each time, Hernández’s final-round showdown with Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals came down to a single long ball again, with Hernández prevailing 14-13 at Globe Life Field after Witt’s final swing hit the base of the wall in left-center.
“Oh, man,” Hernández said of watching Witt’s drive, which came within a few feet of tying the score. “I was nervous.”
When it came up short, though, a wave of elation washed over the 31-year-old Dominican, who raised his arms in celebration while being swarmed by members of his family, the Dodgers traveling party and other longtime friends in the game.
“Just to be in here, make it to the finals, going through those moments, it just feels great,” Hernández said.
“What a moment, when he stood and raised his hands,” added Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel, who served as Hernández’s pitcher in the event. “I kind of looked back to his family and they were all jumping up with joy. That’s the thrill.”
Hernández was not only the first Dodger to win the derby in its 40-year history — of the club’s 13 previous entrants, only Joc Pederson even reached the final round in 2015 — but he also became one of the more unlikely champions of the annual slug-off.
He was the last participant to be announced in the eight-man field last week, after hitting 19 home runs in a bounce-back start to the season.
He then narrowly advanced out of the first round, struggling to find his swing in a three-minute period before belting six home runs in an untimed, three-out bonus stage.
His 19 first-round homers were just good enough to reach the semifinals, proving one better than hometown Texas Rangers star Adolis García.
And from there, though, the long balls kept flying off Hernández’s custom blue bat.
“I could just see it in his eyes that if we got past the first round, we were gonna do this thing,” said Ebel, who pitched in three previous derbies, including to former Angels star Vladimir Guerrero in his winning 2007 performance.
“The key was, when he dropped his shoulders, that’s when I tried to throw,” Ebel said of Hernández. “He told me, ‘When I drop my shoulder, put it down the middle and let me it launch it.’ That was our goal.”
Throughout the night, Hernández received support and advice from current and former teammates.
Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the defending champion, had a surprise for him, slipping into one of Hernández’s old Blue Jays uniforms while offering tips during the derby.
“He said yesterday, ‘I got a surprise for you. I’m gonna show it tomorrow,’” Hernández said, clearly touched. “And what he said helped.”
So did a strategic tweak from Dodgers teammate Shohei Ohtani, who suggested during a first-round timeout that Hernández play more to left-center field instead of trying to pull balls to the closer wall down the foul line.
“I had a better chance [in left-center] because of the way my swing is,” Hernández said. “It’s far, but [Ohtani] said, ‘It’s better for you.’”
To the Dodgers, the long balls outfielder Teoscar Hernández has hit this year only tell part of the story about his importance to the team.
Before the second round, Hernández and Ebel — whose role as a pitcher was particularly important under new derby rules that limit not just swings, but also the total pitches that could be thrown during the timed period — altered their game plan.
Initially, Hernández wanted Ebel to throw pitches a little inside and up. After they advanced, however, Hernández told Ebel to “throw it down the middle and let me do my thing,” the coach recounted.
“This guy is tremendously strong, quick to the ball, and he’s got power to all fields,” Ebel said. “He knows how to slow the game down. He knows how to slow himself down.”
Hernández’s semifinal matchup against Alec Bohm of Philadelphia went to a swing-off in a 14-14 tie, after Bohm had a potential clinching big fly die at the warning track on his last swing.
In the tiebreaker, Hernández launched two homers to Bohm’s one. That set the stage for the final duel with Witt, a burgeoning star seven years Hernández’s junior.
“They might be younger,” Hernández joked. “But, you know, I’m here and I’m as talented as all those guys.”
Just like in the first two stages, Hernández got stronger as the final round went on. After a slow start, he clobbered eight homers in a 12-swing sequence. After adding three dingers in the bonus round, he set the total for Witt to beat at 14.
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The Royals’ 24-year-old shortstop came dangerously close, hitting consecutive home runs when he was down to his last out, before his potential tying drive banged off the bottom of the outfield barrier.
“I was trying to hold all my emotions,” said Hernández, who navigated the night with a determined demeanor. “I’m not the guy that’s gonna think bad about other players.”
But once he saw the ball land safely in play, Hernández flung both fists in the air — having claimed the trophy, the $1-million winner’s prize and a gold chain that read “Derby Champ” in sparkling letters that Guerrero Jr. bestowed upon him in an on-field celebration.
“Thank god it didn’t go out,” Hernández said with a laugh. “I’m super happy ... It feels great. Amazing.”
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