PHOENIX — In the weeks before he reported to Camelback Ranch, Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández spent most of his days drenched in sweat at a Tampa training facility performing a series of plyometric exercises designed to reconfigure his body.
Performing the same exercises in the same facility was Vladimir Guerrero Jr., his former teammate and 2025 World Series rival from the Toronto Blue Jays.
The public unveiling of Guerrero’s sculpted frame happened last week in an Instagram post featuring before-and-after pictures of the All-Star first baseman. The opportunity for Hernández to display his new body came Tuesday when the Dodgers staged their first full-squad workout of the spring.
Hernández said he lost 12 pounds over the winter, and he credited Guerrero for helping push him back into shape.
“Obviously, he’s preparing to help his team get back to the World Series and win,” Hernández said in Spanish. “I’m doing the same thing.”
Hernández and Guerrero have trained together in each of the last four offseasons.
“We motivate each other,” Hernández said. “At the end of the day, I think every player needs someone with whom they feel comfortable and have good moments while training.”
They have company. Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays, Adolis García of the Philadelphia Phillies, and Randy Arozarena of the Seattle Mariners use the same facility.
For Hernández, the drive to get in better shape wasn’t about keeping up with the likes of Guerrero and Caminero.
This was about not wanting to endure another injury-plagued season. This was about wanting to extend his career beyond the two years that remain on his contract. This was about wanting to win a Gold Glove.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
