LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers were dealt tough news on the pitching front before Friday’s game against the Guardians as Gavin Stone, one of the most reliable starters on the staff, went on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation.

In the first inning, things got even worse for L.A., this time on the position player side. Teoscar Hernández, who has arguably been the team’s best under-the-radar free-agent acquisition, exited the 3-1 loss after being hit by an 81 mph Matthew Boyd slider on his left ankle.

Hernández was in immediate pain, staying hunched over on one knee for a couple of minutes. After getting checked by a trainer and manager Dave Roberts, Hernández gingerly limped toward first base. As he tried to shake it off, however, he couldn’t continue, exiting the game, with Chris Taylor coming in to pinch-run. Taylor also took over for Hernández in left field.

After the game, Roberts said the concern level on Hernández’s injury is “high” and that he “doesn’t see” how it’s not an IL stint for the All-Star outfielder. As of now, the Dodgers are labeling it as a left foot contusion for Hernández.

“Not great,” Roberts said. “He’s as tough as they come and he could barely move his foot. … We’ll give him a couple of days to see how he comes out.”

Though the full severity won’t be clear until Hernández undergoes more scans on Saturday, losing the outfielder even for a couple of weeks is another devastating blow for the Dodgers in a season that has consisted of a flurry of injuries. Hernández, who signed a one-year, $23.5 million deal this offseason, is second on the team with 28 homers and 87 RBIs.

In Hernández’s absence, the Dodgers will continue to rely on Kiké Hernández, Andy Pages and Taylor in left field.

“He doesn’t come out of games,” Roberts said. “Afterwards, the pain typically subsides for him, but it didn’t. It’s concerning.”