He's a Walking Contradiction…

Partly truth and partly fiction. That’s Kike Hernandez. Kris Kristopherson (God Rest His Soul) summed him up in his song, The Pilgrim:

Kike Hernandez is one of a kind! If the Dodgers are a Swiss watch, Kiké is the tiny gear that never makes the marketing brochure but keeps the whole thing ticking. In October, the temperature drops, and so do batting averages. Kiké’s does not. He’s built a reputation as a postseason swing changer. Big-game homers. Loud at-bats against elite pitching. Kike is the type of player who shortens the dugout’s heartbeat when the leverage meter turns red.

I know many Dodger fans think Kike “blocks” younger players and/or that his antics are just too much. Dodger players don’t think that. Kike is “beloved” by his teammates. In a 2024 postseason interview, Mookie Betts talked about how Kiké helped influence the way he approached the grind and emotional swings of October baseball:

“We’ve got guys in here that are leading the way and showing me how to do it. Kiké being a huge advocate for that and really getting me on that emotional train…” Betts and Kiké have appeared together on interview/talk segments (like On Base with Mookie Betts) where Betts invites Kiké into the conversation, highlighting him as someone worth sharing airtime with, which teammates don’t do unless they genuinely respect each other. Even though mainstream MLB reporting rarely prints direct praise statements like “Betts said Kiké is the best teammate ever,” the context above shows Betts publicly recognizing Kiké’s influence on his own performance and mindset, which is a strong form of respect in a professional clubhouse — especially between two star-level players. Some of you will say that Kike is not “star level,” but how do you rank what is “star level” in the postseason?

Kike has a career batting average of .236 with a .707 OPS. However, in the postseason, he has a .272 batting average and a .826 OPS. Below is the OPS Ranking Table. In the playoffs, he is very much a star. However, Kike injured his elbow in May 2025 and was not healthy the rest of the year, so if you say that he had a bad season and playoffs in 2025, you would be correct. However, you would be wrong if you allowed that to define him. After the World Series, he underwent elbow surgery to repair a torn extensor muscle/tendon that had detached from the bone. Playing through an inflammatory/torn tendon in his non-throwing elbow likely sapped his bat strength, comfort, and plate effectiveness — especially given how early it occurred in the season and how long he played through it.

He doesn’t have to be your 162-game star. He’s your October detonator. Just being in the dugout is sometimes all it takes with Kike. The Dodgers are talented, analytical, and composed. Kiké injects voltage. He keeps things loose. He bridges veterans and kids. That matters across 162 games when monotony can turn into tension. On a roster full of high-skill technicians, he’s the spark plug.

He historically mashes lefties. That gives the Dodgers platoon leverage, late-game pinch-hit upside, and October matchup chess pieces. When facing a nasty left-handed reliever in the 7th, having Kiké available shifts the tactical board. For a team that rotates through young players, Kiké absorbs volatility. If a rookie scuffles? Kiké can start. If a top prospect needs a mental reset? Kiké plays. If injuries stack up? He plugs holes without forcing a panic trade… at any position. That stability is undervalued but crucial.

He’s not your MVP candidate. He’s not your franchise cornerstone. He’s the infrastructure. Teams chasing titles don’t just need more stars. They need connective tissue. They need someone who can step into chaos and look comfortable. Kiké has made a career out of that. For a club like the Dodgers, with championship expectations every year, that kind of player is not a luxury. He’s a competitive advantage. If you’re ranking importance strictly by WAR, he sits in the middle tier. If you’re ranking importance by how many postseason games swing because of him, he climbs fast. And in October, that’s the only currency that spends.

Kiké Hernández has publicly shared that he has ADHD, describing it as both a “superpower” and “kryptonite” that contributes to his intense focus and chaotic energy, particularly in high-pressure postseason baseball games, where he thrives by staying in the moment, similar to last-minute project preparation. He explains his brain is “all over the place,” but this wiring allows him to maintain extreme focus during games, embracing the heightened electricity and chaos of October baseball. 

Meet Kike Hernandez: Dodger Glue! He will be on the IL for a while, but he will be here when it counts. He will also be in the dugout while he is on the IL. That is a huge boost to the entire team! I do not believe there is a more important player on the Dodgers than Kike. This should not be his last year! I hope he keeps playing after 2026. He’s not an everyday player. He can play until he’s 38 or 39. He is the Dodgers’ heart and soul. You don’t look at his stats: you look at the team results. His chaotic energy makes everyone play up!

There is only one: Enrique “Kike” Hernandez!

The Incomparable Max Muncy

We all know that Max recently signed an extension with the Dodgers. He might have gotten a lot more from another team… especially if he could DH as well. However, like Kike, Max is an unusual animal. SI had this to say about him:

“Part of me and who I am as a person and how I was raised, I like to be loyal to people. This organization took a chance on me when I was out of baseball, basically. That meant a lot to me. They stuck with me when things were going bad. They’ve never wavered on me at all. That means a lot to me in itself, and it’s just a place I’m very comfortable.

“My family’s comfortable here. We have a chance to win every single year. That’s why I play this game. I want to win. Obviously you make money in this game, but that’s not why I play. I play because I want to win. It’s the competitive fire that I want to go out and win as much as I can. That to me is worth more than money.

“I know I’m leaving money on the table, but I’m more than OK with with that because I wouldn’t be OK with myself trying to chase money somewhere else watching this team win and I’m on the sidelines. That’s just not who I am. I would rather win.

“Another component to it is just the relationship I’ve built here. Like I was just saying, I like to be loyal and my relationships mean a lot. I’ve created such a relationship with the staff, the front office, the coaches, the medial and training staff, the clubhouse guys. I just don’t want to create that somewhere else. Being here for my entire career at this point would mean the world to me, and this gives me the chance to do that.”

— Max Muncy in SI

I, for one, value Max Muncy right along with Kike Hernandez! They are Ballplayers. So are Tommy Edman, Miguel Rojas, and Alex Freeland! Plus, Max has a cool walk-up song: