Teoscar Hernández hit a go-ahead grand slam against the San Diego Padres on July 4, 2026, his first home run since returning from the injured list.
Speaking at a press conference, Hernández said the emotion behind the swing came from a combination of factors. "It's a little bit of everything. You know, just trying to find the same swing that I have before I got hurt. And at the same time just doing something for the team. It happens to be a big swing," he said.
On his approach at the plate against Padres pitcher King, Hernández noted, "I was looking for the hardest one, fastest one, middle in, but just react to that one in the middle of the plate." He also acknowledged King's effectiveness earlier in the at-bat, stating that King "was executing really good pitches" and did not leave anything in the middle of the plate for the Dodgers to damage.
After the grand slam, Hernández threw his bat — an emotional release he said he has done only a couple of times before. He mentioned the 2024 playoff clincher and the 2025 World Series as the other occasions. "The emotions got to the player and then you just show it," he explained. Hernández also added that he was unaware of the Los Angeles Dodgers' decision to pinch-hit for Shohei Ohtani late in the game, saying he had "totally forgot" and that the moment was all that mattered to him.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have recorded multiple comeback victories with different contributors each game, and Hernández credited that pattern to a collective mindset. "We never give up. We believe in each other. We know what we can do," he stated, adding that the team's mentality is to never consider themselves out of the game every day that they go into the field.