Cody Snavely
Despite the Los Angeles Dodgers’ splurge this winter, bringing in a variety of names such as Michael Conforto, Hyeseong Kim, and Blake Snell, all while retaining fan favorites Teoscar Hernández and Blake Treinen, a reunion with veteran utilityman Kiké Hernández always felt inevitable.
Similar to last offseason, Hernández, 33, waited until the final weeks of the offseason to re-sign with the Dodgers. After being reacquired by the Dodgers during the 2023 Major League Baseball trade deadline from the Boston Red Sox, Hernández returned on a one-year, $4 million deal after the team had already broken for camp in Glendale, Arizona.
While the theatrics were not as dramatic leading up to spring training this season, with the front office having to decide between Hernández and newly acquired outfielder Manuel Margot, Hernández will slot in right where he left off last season.
However, with the addition of Hernández, the position player group is all but set, with the final spot on the roster likely a battle between Chris Taylor, Andy Pages, and Korean utility infielder Hyeseong Kim. While some say the reacquisition of Hernández is redundant, with Taylor and Rojas on the roster, I’d argue the opposite.
In the end, the Dodgers have valued veteran leadership in recent years, and despite his energetic attitude, Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers President of Baseball Operations and the mastermind behind the team, stated Hernández was indeed that leader.
In a recent episode of Dodgers Territory, Friedman sat down with Alanna Rizzo and Clint Pasillas and raved about the type of leader Hernández was last October.
“As you pointed out, still not official yet but obviously the impact he has made in October on field it was obvious. Off-field this past October may have been one of the most impressive displays of leadership I’ve ever seen,” Friedman said. “His connecting with different guys, going out of his way on a number of different fronts, was quite possibly the best leadership I’ve ever seen.”
While the Dodgers farm system may have plenty of players in the wings ready to take the next step, such as James Outman, Alex Freeland, and others, my rule of thumb is proven major league talent over minor league potential.
The counterpoint is that Hernández has never been known as a regular-season performer, which is highlighted by his career .713 OPS and 92 OPS+, both of which are below league average.
However, the Dodgers haven’t brought back Hernández for regular-season success; they’ve continued to bring him back for his success in October when the lights shine brightest.
In his postseason career, Hernández has hit .278 with sixty-four hits, fifteen home runs, thirty-five RBIs, and thirty-seven runs scored in eighty-six games. He is still valued highly by the organization and adored by the fans. Hence, a reunion makes all the sense in the world.
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