Steve Webb
LOS ANGELES, CA — If you thought the Dodgers were done making moves just because Spring Training has started, think again. In the second of two big moves today, it’s been reported that longtime Dodger fan favorite Kiké Hernandez is rejoining the club after floating around in free agency for the last few months. According to a report from Juan Toribio at MLB.com, the uber-utility man will return to the Dodgers’ fold on a one-year deal, valued at $4 million.
As our Cody Snavely (who was all over this idea) reported earlier this month, this deal makes a lot of sense from the Dodgers’ perspective. Hernández, who was just acquired at last year’s trade deadline, was quite the pickup for the Dodgers in 2023. Kiké’s time in Boston had plenty of peaks and valleys, and after a horrible start to the 2023 season, which saw him put up a slash line of .222/.279/.320, the Red Sox were rumored to be looking to release him or trade him. The Dodgers decided to take a chance on a familiar player in hopes of sparking the good baseball they believed was left in him.
Upon joining the Dodgers, Kiké put up respectable numbers, batting .262 with an OPS of .731 and OPS+ of 95. However, the defensive versatility shined for Hernández, who slotted in innings at 3B, SS, 2B, LF, and CF. This is nothing new to Dodgers fans who knew this is what made the combination of Chris Taylor and Hernández so unique.
What makes Hernández more valuable than Margot (who was shown the door earlier in the day) is his ability to play all around the diamond. The Dodgers lack infield depth on the bench, so there is no “game plan” set if a minor or major injury occurs. While Margot brings the speed on the base paths and shines defensively in the outfield, Hernández’s ability to slot in the infield puts him over the top.
It was just this versatility that appealed to the Dodgers’ front office. “As we were having different conversations and the ability to bring Kiké back and time all of that up, just having another layer of versatility,” said Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes. “Obviously, Manny still fit really well. Kiké, we just felt fit a little bit better, plus we know what he brings come postseason time, hopefully, and in the clubhouse.”
So in what has been essentially a one-for-one swap, Hernández comes in to what will surely be a lesser role on this star-studded lineup, but with his added versatility, he will make it easier for the Dodgers to play match-up baseball, both in the infield and the outfield.
I’m still not a big believer in the lineup the Dodgers are planning to use against lefties, but it’s gotten better with Hernandez in it.
