Kiké Hernandez is one of the more notable free agents out on the open market.
While he’s not the most talented player available, he’s proven to be an indispensable asset for the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise.
Dating back to 2015, Hernandez has filled several holes for the franchise. He’s played almost every single position on the field — including pitching several times. Hernandez has a charisma and quirkiness that is difficult to quantify.
He’s unquestionably one of the bigger leaders within the clubhouse, and his ability to perform at his best during the postseason is arguably Hernandez’s most valuable trait.
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Hernandez recently appeared on the Baseball & Coffee show with fellow player Adam Ottavino. During the interview, Hernandez revealed that he had been playing hurt throughout the season. A fan recently saw him at the airport, and a groggy Hernandez essentially confirmed that he had just had surgery.
“They went in thinking it was going to be an extensor release, and when they went in, they realized I had torn that thing completely off the bone,” Hernandez said. “So it turned out to be an extensor repair. I’ll be out for, like, a month or two next year.”
The extensor release involve tendons in the hand/wrist area. Considering the level in which he had been playing throughout October, it’s astounding considering where this specific injury occurred.
Aside from the timely hits, Hernandez made several big-time defensive plays en route to a second straight World Series title. The most notable play was at the end of Game 6 where Hernandez rushed in to nab a sinking line-drive before flinging the ball to Miguel Rojas at second base to create a game-ending double play.
With Hernandez not expected to be back until next May at the earliest, this may actually help the Dodgers retain him. A reunion is far more likely given the fact that an opposing team likely doesn’t have the luxury in waiting on Hernandez to return to the field.
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Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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