Kiké Hernández Reflects on Dodgers ‘Legendary’ Journey to World Series Title
Kiké Hernández reflected on the journey through October that it took for the Los Angeles Dodgers to become World Series champions.
The Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees Wednesday night to conclude the Fall Classic victory, the first in front of fans in over three decades.
Before the Dodgers took down the titans of baseball, the team’s journey began at the start of October against the San Diego Padres.
“I really think that the Dodgers just went on a legendary postseason run,” Hernández told MLB Network. “We weren’t supposed to be here. We had half our team hurt. We dealt, we went through a lot. And then we started the postseason beating the best team in baseball in the Padres. And then we beat the hottest team in baseball in the Mets. And then we came here and we beat the mighty New York Yankees.”
Several baseball experts predicted the Dodgers wouldn’t make it past the first round of the playoffs, in part because of the apparent hole in their pitching. In order to get through the National League Division Series, the Dodgers would have to take down their division rivals, a complete Padres team that had the lineup, the starting pitching, and the bullpen.
Down San Diego went. Next, the Dodgers had to get past the New York Mets. The Mets were dubbed as the hottest team in baseball. While the Dodgers were no longer underestimated, a best-of-seven-series would test the strength of the Los Angeles bullpen.
The Dodgers, out of necessity, had at least one or two bullpen games each series since the team relied on just three starting pitchers, Jack Flaherty, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Walker Buehler. The unique game plan worked and down went the Mets.
The Dodgers reached the final stop but still had to take down the best team in the American League. As Flaherty got rocked early in the game, the Dodgers relied on the bullpen for the majority of Game 5.
As Blake Treinen completed the eighth inning, who would come out to close out the game? Walker Buehler, who had pitched just two days prior, was deployed from the bullpen.
Buehler, who was only a starter because the Dodgers had no one else, was the most fitting pitcher to finish the game. His journey through the playoffs embodied the heart of the Dodgers.
“I mean, honestly, what a way to end it with Walker Buehler on the mound,” Hernández said. “What a way to end it. What a baseball game. What a series.”
No team was more resilient than them. No team was as gritty as them. No team could beat the 2024 Dodgers.
Photo Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
