Chris Taylor, Kiké Hernandez, Charlie Culberson all in mix for Dodgers utility role

PHOENIX — While Kiké Hernandez begins one battle with Puerto Rico opening their second round of the World Baseball Classic on Tuesday night, he remains involved in another battle in Dodgers camp, even while absent.

Chris Taylor, Charlie Culberson, and Hernandez are all in the mix for one utility spot on the Dodgers bench, and with Hernandez away the other two have stated their case.

Taylor has added center field to his normal infield workload, though he has only played 10 total innings at the position this spring. Being healthy has helped him on defense.

“Last year when we traded for him his arm wasn't feeling great, but now he's able to make that throw from shortstop. We got him out there a little bit in center field,” manager Dave Roberts said. “The body, he's more physical.”

Taylor was 2-for-2 with a walk on Tuesday in the Dodgers’ 6-5 win over Reds, and is 11-for-22 with a triple, a double and seven walks in the Cactus League, hitting a robust .500/.633/.636.

"The biggest thing was that there was a complete swing change this winter, and that was the first thing I saw. He got a lot stronger,” Roberts said. “Mechanically with the swing, he just looks right, and continues to put up good at-bats.”

On Tuesday, Taylor played seven innings at shortstop, where the bulk of the innings have been with Corey Seager out since March 3 with tightness in his side. Taylor has played 48 innings and started seven times at the position this spring, most on the club, with Culberson close behind at 32 innings and five starts.

Culberson has also started six times at third base and would profile more in the infield if he were to make the roster as a non-roster invitee for a second year in a row. However, Culberson played all of five innings in left field with the Dodgers in 2016, and also played one game in right field for Triple-A Oklahoma City.

"For the construction of our club, it makes sense for a guy to be a middle infielder and play center field a little bit too,” Roberts said. “I'm going to get Culbie out there.”

Hernandez might fit that skill set best on the Dodgers, who need a backup shortstop and a backup center fielder, even if only for spot duty with a schedule the Maytag Repairman could appreciate. Over the last two seasons, he has played at least 15 games at shortstop, second base, center field and left field.

Hernandez is not in the lineup for Puerto Rico on Tuesday night against the Dominican Republic in a battle of undefeated teams to open Pool F play at Petco Park in San Diego. Hernandez only played in one of the three games in the first round, but made it count, going 3-for-4 with a triple.

But his last game in Dodgers camp was March 6, and Puerto Rico will play through at least Saturday. If Puerto Rico advances to the championship round, they will have a game on March 20 or 21, and a possible title game on March 22. That means he’ll miss at least two weeks of spring training, maybe 2½.

Roberts said the long absence wouldn’t negatively impact Hernandez’s shot of making the roster.

"What we saw early was good, and when we get him back we'll continue to evaluate,” Roberts said on Tuesday.

Both Culberson and Taylor are listed on the travel roster on Wednesday for the Dodgers, who travel to Peoria to play the Mariners.