Dodgers Cut Ties With Veteran, Officially Bring Back Kiké Hernandez

The Los Angeles Dodgers have officially activated utility man Kiké Hernández off the injured list ahead of Monday's series opener against the Colorado Rockies.

In order to make room on the active roster, veteran infielder Santiago Espinal was designated for assignment.

BREAKING: Kiké Hernandez is officially BACK with the Dodgers while Santiago Espinal has been designated for assignment🚨🚨🚨🚨

Do you agree with this move? Why or why not?⬇️ pic.twitter.com/2pXT3AFVvN
— Dodgers On SI (@DodgersOnSI) May 25, 2026

The Dodgers were deciding between three potential corresponding moves for Hernández: DFA'ing Espinal, optioning Hyeseong Kim to Triple-A or placing Max Muncy on the injured list.

In the end, they went with Espinal, which made the most sense as both he and Hernández are right-handed bats who can play third base.

Overall, Espinal appeared in 26 games for LA, hitting .220 with one home run, four RBIs and an OPS of .604. Now, he'll head to waivers, where another team could pick him up (or trade for him to bypass waivers).

If Espinal somehow cleared waivers, the Dodgers would be able to keep him in the organization.

Kiké Hernandez Officially Back With Dodgers

The Dodgers are very excited to activate Hernández, who opened the season on the injured list after undergoing offseason elbow surgery.

Hernández re-signed with the Dodgers on a one-year, $4.5 million deal this offseason.

"There's a different energy with Kiké," manager Dave Roberts said on Sunday. "There's a levity. There's an intensity. There's a good worker in there, a winning player. So I'm looking forward to having that edge."

Hernández is expected to pick up his utility role, likely spending time at third base and second base while potentially getting opportunities in the outfield.

"I see Kiké at third [base], obviously he's gonna play some second [base] because you just don't know what's gonna happen, you just never know what's gonna happen, what could happen," Roberts said earlier this month. "I see him playing some outfield too, just to kind of keep his skills sharp."

Hernández is coming off a 2025 season in which he struggled, hitting just .203 across 92 games with 10 home runs, 35 RBIs and an OPS of .621.

However, he said he was playing through elbow pain a majority of the season, and even missed nearly two months on the injured list.

Hernández is finally "pain-free" and is hoping that will translate to success all year.

"Last year was miserable," Hernández said to reporters last month. "Not only performance wise, but I was just in a lot of pain every time I took the field. So I'm just happy that I'm pain free right now."

Hernández hit .214 with an OPS of .608 across 12 rehab games at Triple-A Oklahoma City. He looked at that as more of a spring training, and should get a boost from playing at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium.

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