NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: METS VS DODGERS

October 18, 2024

Teoscar Hernández

Citi Field

Los Angeles Dodgers

Pregame 5 Press Conference

Q. Just for this team to be in this situation now, one win away from the World Series, just what does that mean to you? How do you describe what you all have been able to achieve thus far in the postseason?

TEOSCAR HERNÁNDEZ: It means a lot. Obviously, I'm really grateful that I'm in this spot right now. One of the biggest reasons I came here, this is why, because I know this team will do a lot of things this year, and we showed it throughout the year.

We are in a good spot right now. And hopefully we can get the win tonight.

Q. When you look at the offense, especially what we've been seeing in this series, but last night hits up and down the order, everyone got on base, what can you say just about the at-bats you all are taking as a whole? And what has been the mindset of the group?

TEOSCAR HERNÁNDEZ: Not trying to do too much. Trying to get on base. Do whatever it takes to get on base as many times as we can and score a lot of runs, and give the pitching staff the support that we know we can give them so they can be more comfortable throughout the game.

Q. The last time you were in the postseason was Game 6 -- sorry, Game 2 in 2022 with the Jays. What do you remember from that game? What have you taken from that game that you're using in this postseason?

TEOSCAR HERNÁNDEZ: It was a lot of good things. A lot of bad things happened in that game. Obviously I got the two homers. We got a really big game going into the sixth and then everything fell down.

We got Springer injury that day. And then after that, everything just collided.

But you learn from things. It doesn't matter if it's good or bad. I think it makes you better if you take the things that happen to you in your career the right way. It makes you stronger and better for the next opportunity that you get.

Q. In what ways are you different as a player in this postseason as compared to the last time out?

TEOSCAR HERNÁNDEZ: Great, I think better through my career. This is my first long postseason. I just think, in my mind, do whatever it takes to help the team win that day.

It doesn't matter how my performance, it's just if I get a hit, I get a hit. I don't think about my numbers or my personal stats. Just everything for me is about winning. And I want to do whatever it takes to help the team win.

Q. Looking ahead to possible opponents if you advance, why do you think you've had such good power numbers at Yankee Stadium, and why has Cleveland been more challenging for you?

TEOSCAR HERNÁNDEZ: I don't know. I think it's one of those stadiums that you see the ball well. I get to see the ball well at Yankee Stadium. And before my last series in New York, it wasn't that great. Obviously I hit a lot of homers but not a lot of hits. But that series was amazing.

In Cleveland, I get to play there once a year. I don't have a lot of opportunities to play there.

But it doesn't matter who we face, we're just going to be ready for whoever passes and try to keep doing the same thing we're doing right now.

Q. You've had such an incredible season this year, some incredible at-bats, what you did at the home run derby. Getting here to your first NLCS, what would it mean to you personally to punch your ticket to the World Series?

TEOSCAR HERNÁNDEZ: It means a lot. I put a lot of work into the offseason, first trying to get ready for whoever I would sign with.

In this case I'm here right now. Put a lot of effort, put a lot of time trying to work the things that I didn't do the way I wanted to do it last year, and just came here and trying to learn from the guys that already have success in the big league organization. And just trying to put myself in a good spot and trying to make my teammates better too.

Q. What would it mean to you to really get to that next series, punch that ticket. I see the smile on your face.

TEOSCAR HERNÁNDEZ: A lot of people don't know, but I got a ring in 2017 with Houston Astros, but I didn't get to play. But one of my dreams is to go to the World Series and obviously win everything and be part of a winning team and be there and help a team win a championship. And obviously now I'm going to have that chance if we win tonight.

Q. Along the same lines, just describe what your morning was like when you woke up. Could it be like Christmas Day or whatever, knowing that you are one win away? Take us through that process of you waking up this morning and coming here?

TEOSCAR HERNÁNDEZ: I'm going to be honest, I wasn't thinking about it. I wasn't thinking about the game. When I'm with my family, with my kids, I just think about them; I don't think about my work.

But now that I'm here in the stadium, it's just trying to go and get ready, prepare myself for whatever it takes to help the team win tonight.

Q. Obviously there are a lot of times this regular season, things weren't going the way you guys wanted, whether it was player injuries or whatnot. Was there ever a time the team felt like, this just might not be our year; we might not have enough? If not, why didn't that happen? What allowed you guys to keep pushing?

TEOSCAR HERNÁNDEZ: It was one time that we see a lot of fans, that we see not from the team but from the outside, everybody was panicking because we got a lot of injuries. We lose a lot of pitchers.

And it was one time that we felt like we were down as a team. And one meeting changed everything. And then we realized that we have the potential, that we have the players, that we're still the Dodgers. And we can do special things with the people we have healthy throughout the year and just the opportunity to maintain the team on the top until those guys were able to come back and keep helping the team win.

Q. When was that meeting?

TEOSCAR HERNÁNDEZ: It was in Atlanta. It wasn't about how we were playing; it was more about when we lose Glasnow, it was that time. It was just a meeting to put everybody's head up again and just keep pushing until we win everything.