Fan Favorite Kiké Hernández Takes Chance to Announce His Return to Los Angeles Dodgers
After much speculation, Kiké Hernández is once again returning to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
And it was Hernández himself who confirmed the transaction Monday afternoon.
Hernández took credit for being first to break the news, but ESPN's Jeff Passan actually reported a few minutes earlier that the free agent utility man was nearing a one-year contract with the Dodgers. This past weekend, a report from MLB.com's Mark Feinsand suggested Hernández planned to lock down a deal by Sunday or Monday.
The Los Angeles Angels were one of the other teams strongly tied to Hernández.
The Dodgers were able to free up a roster spot for Hernández by trading outfielder Manuel Margot to the Minnesota Twins mere minutes earlier. Margot came to Los Angeles from the Tampa Bay Rays alongside Tyler Glasnow back in December.
Hernández played for the Dodgers from 2015 to 2020, but he signed with the Boston Red Sox after winning the World Series. Boston traded Hernández back to Los Angeles at the 2023 MLB Trade Deadline, though, and the veteran immediately boosted his batting average by 40 points and his OPS by 132 points.
In his 10-year big league career, Hernández has hit .239 with 108 home runs, 393 RBI, a .719 OPS and a 16.4 WAR. Hernández is primarily a center fielder and middle infielder, but he has logged plenty of innings in the corner outfield and infield spots over the years.
Hernández gives Los Angeles an option at shortstop if former top prospect Gavin Lux needs more time to shake off the rust that comes with missing all of 2023 with a torn ACL. He also joins a deep outfield rotation that already featured James Outman, Jayson Heyward and Teoscar Hernández, without even mentioning right fielder-turned-second baseman Mookie Betts.
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