Teoscar Hernandez’s struggles in Seattle remain a mystery: ‘I couldn’t feel good’

ARLINGTON, Texas – Teoscar Hernandez was, in his words, happy playing for the Mariners last year.

He just simply wasn’t comfortable in the T-Mobile Park batter’s box – and he’s still not sure why.

“I had a great time,” Hernandez, an All-Star in his first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, said Monday afternoon. “Unfortunately, I didn’t feel the way I wanted to feel when I was playing at home. When I say that, it’s not about the fans, it’s not about the team or the front office or anybody that has to do with the team.”

“For some reason I couldn’t figure it out. I couldn’t feel good at the plate at home.”

Hernandez, who beat Bobby Witt Jr. in the Home Run Derby final round 14-13 Monday evening, will start in center field and bat eighth for the National League in the 94th MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday at Globe Life Field.

In his lone season in Seattle, Hernandez had dramatic home/road splits in 2023, posting a .643 OPS at T-Mobile Park compared to an .830 OPS on the road.

“I talk to a lot of players around the league and they feel the same thing when they go to Seattle and play two or three games over there,” Hernandez said. “They had the same feeling. So it was not only me.”

Hernandez said he never felt like he was lined up in a straight line with the pitcher’s mound at T-Mobile Park.

“It was a little crooked,” he said. “I didn’t feel really straight with the pitcher, for some reason. I moved everywhere in the batter’s box and tried to fix it, but I couldn’t figure it out.”

The Mariners declined a $20.3 million qualifying offer on Hernandez at the end of the 2023 season. A free agent for the first time in his career, Hernandez had a couple multiyear offers – from the Angels and Red Sox, reportedly – but chose to sign a one-year deal worth $23.5 million with the Dodgers.

It’s proving to be a worthwhile gamble.

In 95 games for the Dodgers, the 31-year-old Hernandez is hitting .261 with an .802 OPS, 19 homers and 62 RBIs and setting up himself up for a potential windfall in free agency again this offseason.

Muñoz ready to pitch if needed

Mariners pitchers Logan Gilbert and Andrés Muñoz sat at podiums next to each other in the outfield at Globe Life Field for All-Star media availability on Monday afternoon.

One of them – Gilbert – will not pitch in the All-Star Game on Tuesday.

The other – Muñoz – would very much like to.

“I’m ready,” the Mariners’ de facto closer said.

Muñoz has pitched through a back injury since the second game of the season in late March. He had an injection in his lower back on June 12, and he’s been pitching with a back brace wrapped around his torso, something that has helped ease the pain.

He said the back has been feeling much better the past few weeks.

Gilbert, who threw seven shutout innings on Sunday, will not be available to pitch in the All-Star Game. He had lobbied right away last week for Muñoz to be added to the AL roster as a replacement, and that became reality on Friday.

It’s the first All-Star selection for Muñoz, who soaked up the experience Monday.

He played catch in right field with his “baseball brother,” Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase. They were teammates as teenagers coming up through the San Diego Padres organization.

Muñoz then shagged fly balls during the AL’s batting practice.