The Los Angeles Dodgers remain focused on adding Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki in free agency, but that’s not the only move they can make to solidify the roster.
While the Dodgers have a majority of the team’s World Series-winning core returning in 2025, there’s one player who Valentina Martinez of dodgersnation.com thinks L.A. needs to bring back before the 2025 season gets underway: Utility man Kiké Hernández.
Hernández, 33, has had two tenures with the Dodgers. His first tenure with Los Angeles came from 2015-20, where he was an integral part of the core as they started their dominant run in the National League West.
The Dodgers won their first World Series championship this century in Hernández’s final season with the team in 2020.
After a brief stint with the Boston Red Sox, the Dodgers re-acquired Hernández at the 2023 trade deadline. They then re-signed him ahead of the 2024 season to a one-year, $4 million deal and he had a late-season resurgence, appearing in 126 games and slashing .229/.281/.373 with 12 home runs and 42 runs batted in.
Hernández shows his value in October, though, as he’s one of the best postseason performers in the league.
In 14 games this postseason, Hernández hit two home runs and drove in six RBIs while sporting an OPS of .808. In his career, he’s played in 86 postseason games and has an OPS of .874 with 15 home runs, which ranks tied for 20th all-time.
Hernández also proves his value by being a utility player. Martinez explains just how valuable Hernández was to the Dodgers in 2024.
“The beauty of Hernández is his versatility. He can play practically anywhere for the Dodgers, and did so throughout an injury-plagued 2024 season,” Martinez wrote.
“When Max Muncy dealt with an oblique injury, Hernández played third. When Freddie Freeman missed time, Hernández played first. When the Dodgers needed an outfielder, Hernández was there. When there were no more relievers in the bullpen, Hernández even took the mound.”
Hernández has played every single position except catcher in his MLB career, and has logged at least 700 innings at second base, shortstop, third base, left field, and center field.
On top of his versatility and dominance in October, he’s a fan favorite in Los Angeles and a great presence in the clubhouse.
At a fan event shortly after the World Series in which seemingly over 1,000 Dodger fans showed up at a Raising Canes, Hernández made his intentions clear about a potential return in free agency.
“I really, really hope that I’m back next year so we can run it back, so make sure you guys talk to (Andrew) Friedman and those guys,” Hernández said.
More recently, on an episode of The Shop, Hernández opened up about his free agency.
“Main priority for me would probably be coming back,” Hernández said. “I think this team — the Dodgers are very well positioned to make another run and be the first back to back team since the New York Yankees in ’99 and 2000.”
Spotrac currently projects a one-year, $2.7 million deal for Hernández this offseason.
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