LOS ANGELES — The Home Run Derby will have a new champion this year.

Last year’s champ, Teoscar Hernandez, has decided not to participate in this year’s pre-All-Star Game showcase.

“No, I’m not going to do it,” the Dodgers outfielder said of the July 14 event in Atlanta. “Last year after I did it, all of this area (his upper legs) was tight and sore. This year, I had the injury over there. I don’t want to risk it. So just don’t do it. Be ready for the season, be part of the team and not get hurt doing the derby.”

Hernandez missed two weeks in May on the injured list after straining an adductor muscle in his left leg. The Home Run Derby — which requires competitors to take max-effort swings repeatedly in timed rounds — and then more swings in the batting cage to stay ready if they advance — is more taxing than observers realize, he said.

“It is,” he said. “I wasn’t tired at the end or the next day. But I was really sore. I think if your body is not ready, 100%, it can cost you an injury. So I don’t want to risk it. I’d rather be healthy and be playing the regular season.

“Good luck to the ones who are going to participate.”

Hernandez’s teammate, Shohei Ohtani, won’t be one of those despite hitting his National League-leading 30th home run in Tuesday night’s 6-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

Ohtani cited the Derby format as making it unlikely he would participate.

“He’s coming back from Tommy John, trying to be healthy for the team, be healthy all year, trying to pitch for the team. So I don’t think he’s going to do it,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez was off to a great start, batting .315 with a .933 OPS and major league-leading 34 RBIs when he was injured during a series in May. Going into Tuesday’s game, he had hit just .206 with a .626 OPS and only 19 RBIs in 36 games since returning from the IL.

Hernandez said he is back to full strength and won’t blame the injury for his extended slump.

“It’s more about timing,” he said. “My body feels 100% from the injury or any other part of my body. It’s just hard to make adjustments during the season, injuries or not. Just credit to the pitchers.

“I’m one of those guys who if I get hurt ... I take the time it’s going to take. Once I get back, I’m back. I don’t think about it. I try to do everything normal, do everything the same way, give my 100%. Right now, it’s just baseball. It’s not going the way I want but I’m going to keep working.”

This Ohtani’s fifth consecutive 30-homer season and the third time he has reached the mark before the All-Star break. He had 33 at the break in 2021 (and finished with 46) and 32 in 2023 (on his way to 44).

He had 29 at the All-Star break last year when he finished with a career-high 54. He is the fastest Dodger ever to reach 30 home runs in a season (86 games).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Ohtani is scheduled to make his next pitching start on Saturday, his 31st birthday.

Ohtani will be paired with left-hander Justin Wrobleski in a “bulk” role this time. Right-hander Ben Casparius followed Ohtani in the two-way player’s first three starts, but Casparius will pitch Friday in some capacity (likely after an opener).

STARTER JUGGLING

The Dodgers’ starter on Sunday against the Houston Astros is currently “TBD” but it could be right-hander Emmet Sheehan. Sheehan was scheduled to pitch Tuesday night for Triple-A Oklahoma City. He pitched six perfect innings, striking out 13 of the 18 batters he faced, in his previous start with OKC after being sent down by the Dodgers on June 18 and will be eligible to be recalled on Sunday.

That moves Yoshinobu Yamamoto back to Monday in Milwaukee on five days of rest followed by Clayton Kershaw and Dustin May.