Alex Call has earned more playing time, and Teoscar Hernández could find himself on the bench more often as the Los Angeles Dodgers try to stop an early-season slide that has left their offense in a brutal slump and pushed them into second place in the National League West.

Dave Roberts made the case plainly. Call has earned more run, he said, while Hernández’s spot is no longer as secure because of what Roberts described as a season of timing problems, missed pitches and too much passivity. The manager said Hernández has not hit lefties the way he has in the past, has been fouling off pitches whether they are spin or fastballs, and has often been getting behind early in counts, making it harder to do damage.

The numbers tell the story of why the conversation has turned this way. Hernández is hitting.248 with four home runs and 17 runs batted in, and his.709 OPS marks the worst season he has had as a member of the Dodgers. That slump is landing at a difficult time for a club that added All-Star Kyle Tucker but still has not found consistent production from game to game.

Roberts was direct when asked about Hernández. “I do see certainly his timing is off,” he said, before adding that Hernández has missed pitches he should have driven and has been “a little too passive at times, getting behind a lot early.” In the manager’s view, there are mechanical and approach issues at work, and Hernández is still trying to sort them out.

Hernández, for his part, called the stretch “inconsistent” and said, “Sometimes the timing is there. Sometimes it doesn’t. Like I always say,” leaving open a familiar gap between what a hitter wants to be and what the numbers say he is right now. That disconnect matters because Hernández had been a critical piece of the Dodgers’ offense over the last two seasons, making this downturn more than a temporary cold spell.

Call’s rise gives Roberts another option at a moment when the Dodgers need answers fast. The club’s offense has stumbled early in 2026, and the consequences are already showing in the standings. If Hernández cannot regain his timing soon, the next move may not be subtle. It may be more games with Call in the lineup and fewer chances for a veteran whose bat has gone quiet just when the Dodgers can least afford it.