It’s somewhat puzzling that neither Mookie Betts nor Teoscar Hernandez secured the National League Player of the Week title, with Lourdes Gurriel Jr. from the Diamondbacks claiming the honor for the four-day period. Nonetheless, the duo did make a significant mark in baseball history during Monday night’s game against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. When Hernandez sent his fourth home run of the season into the left field bleachers during the bottom of the sixth inning, he matched Betts, with each player having hit four home runs in the first seven games of the season. According to MLB.com’s Sarah Langs, this marks the first instance of two Dodgers teammates each hitting four homers in the first seven games of a season. They currently share the league lead in home runs. Additionally, Betts leads the team in RBIs with 10, while Hernandez follows closely with nine. They also rank first and second in runs scored, with Betts at 12 and Hernandez at eight.
Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernández are the first pair of Dodgers teammates to each hit 4+ HR in the team’s first seven games in the same season https://t.co/vULh2wajmB
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) April 2, 2024
Hernandez has proven to be a valuable addition to the heart of the Dodgers’ batting order. Despite reportedly turning down several more lucrative contract offers, he opted for a one-year, $23.5 million deal with the Dodgers in January. With Hernandez delivering power hitting from the sixth spot in the lineup, opposing pitchers face an increasingly daunting challenge navigating through the Dodgers’ lineup of nine batters. And the most intimidating aspect is that the season is just beginning.