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…
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.
— Max Muncy in SI
“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.”
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:
More from Dodger Talk
Dodgers Food Trailer
I did this interview a couple of weeks ago with Chef Mike, who runs the Dodgers Food Trailer for the Great Lakes Loons. They are there for every home and road regular season and playoff game. They prepare three meals a day for approximately 50 people (players and coaches). Since games end late most evenings, they do not prepare breakfast. Many of their hotels have a complimentary breakfast anyway. However,…
Meet LAD 2026 Draft Picks 1-12
3 picks were High School players (2 SS and 1 OF). There was a college OF, college catcher, college SS, and 10 college pitchers. Of all the talk for a need for a catcher, the only catcher the Dodgers selected was Luke Bard, son of LAD bullpen coach Josh Bard. Bard was a 4th year senior from Houston Christian University. He is not a prospect, so the Dodgers are still…
Interview with Paul Beachy – Team Bus Driver For The Great Lakes Loons (LA Dodgers Minor League Team)
It’s been a few days since I did this interview. We have evidently been working my son-in-law (the video guy) like a rented mule at US Water Systems. However, I am taking him to London with me in a few days, so maybe Watford will buy him a pint as a tip, but he’s a dang Red Sox fan, so there is that! I thought that it would be interesting…
Thanks for Your Service: Chris Taylor
I was going to do this post when Chris announced he was retiring, then he changed his mind, but since the chances of him ever playing for the Dodgers again are slim and non-existent, I will go ahead with this post. He unretired, went on the IL, then decided to call it quits on May 24th. Taylor was born in Virginia Beach VA on August 29th, 1990. He attended Great…
Discussion (77)
Disagree, not disagreeable
There is a glitch in the system. I said that once.
Yes with 93 games. He passed Justin Turner. Musher, he made one great defensive play, and yes it was critical, but on that fly ball that Pages caught, Kike was playing too shallow that is why he was sprinting back. He is who he is, and half the time he is playing the clown. Now if his bad elbow is all fixed, he might be a contributor come playoff time. He has shined in some big moments, but he is still nothing more than a utility player.
Former Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler signed a minor league deal with the San Diego Padres on Monday.
RIP Robert Duvall, passed away at age 95.
I do not dislike Kike at all, and I know he played hurt for much of the year. But to me personally, he is very overrated. He made one very good play that saved a game in last year’s World Series. That is his only series highlight. He stunk up the joint offensively. He struck out 15 times in 29 at bats. That just does not cut it. I am sure Alex Call could have made that play, and had better production at the plate, but they chose to play Kike because of his prior post-season heroics. Let us not forget that it was his high fore arm bash with Bellinger in the 7th game of the LCS in 2020 that dislocated Bellinger’s shoulder.
Great actor!!!
I just read that when the Dodgers signed Kyle Tucker, Dave Roberts immediately called Teoscar Hernandez and asked him if he would be willing to move to left field. Of course, Teo said yes. Roberts’ decision to contact Hernández first underscores the importance of communication and cohesion within the team. This kind of attitude is what the Dodgers need to remain title contenders. I think that there is a good chance that all three of the Dodgers’ starting outfielders can hit 30 HR and drive in 100 RBI each. It has happened before: 1941 New York Yankees • Joe DiMaggio: 30 HR, 125 RBI (est.) • Charlie Keller: 33 HR, 106 RBI (est.) • Tommy Henrich: 31 HR, 113 RBI (est.)
Next week, at this time, I will be at Camelback Ranch. We have an Airbnb in Scottsdale. We are opening up a branch for US Water Systems in Tampa in April, and next year, it will be Phoenix. My son and his wife want to move there and are looking at houses. My wife and I are considering a condo there and living there in the winter.
Tony Clark To Step Down As MLBPA Executive Director “Tony Clark is preparing to announce his resignation as the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, per a report from Evan Drellich, Ken Rosenthal and Andy McCullough of The Athletic. Clark has been in his current position since 2013”.
Tony Clark To Step Down As MLBPA Executive Director “Tony Clark is preparing to announce his resignation as the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, per a report from Evan Drellich, Ken Rosenthal and Andy McCullough of The Athletic. Clark has been in his current position since 2013. The 53-year-old Clark and the union have been under investigation since last summer due to purported improprieties regarding the usage of licensing money. Specifically, Clark has previously been alleged to have given himself equity in OneTeam Partners — a joint venture between the MLBPA and NFLPA — and failed to have sufficiently disclosed the level of resources being dedicated to Players Way, an MLBPA-owned youth baseball initiative that is under federal investigation. Clark had been scheduled to begin a tour of spring visits to the game’s 30 teams just this morning, but the first of those meetings (with the Guardians) was abruptly canceled. A statement is expected at some point today, per the New York Post’s Joel Sherman”.
And a postseason demon, you don’t seem to want to admit that.
LOL are you serious…..your critique of him is that he arm bashed a player that resulted in a inury?
No, it is based on what I have seen the guy do over the course of his career. He has not ever been that great during the season. The guy is what he is. A bench piece. Had Conforto played up to what everyone thought he would do, Kike would not have been playing that much. He hasn’t been the same hitter against LHP that he was in several years. Kikes had some moments, that is fact, but the fact is also that the guy is a clown a lot of the time. He is good in the clubhouse and that is great, but as a player, his career numbers are just not all that.
Kevin, he has had some very good post season games, and he has had some bad ones. So, let’s look back, ok? He was 0-11 against the Cubs in the 2016 LCS after he was 4-13 in the LDS against the Mets. overall, 4-24. Not good. In 17 he was 1-3 against the D-Backs. In the next series against the Cubs, he was 4-9 with 3 homers and 7 driven in, all in game six. But he disappeared in the World Series against the Astros with a 3-13 line with just 1 driven in, no homers. In his next 3 playoff series he was just 5-41 with 2 homers and 3 driven in. Hardley the stuff of legend. He was 3-7 with a homer and 3 driven in against DC in 19. In 2020 in the four series the Dodgers played, he was a combined 6-31 with 2 homers and 4 driven in, both homers came against the Braves. That was his best series, he hit .308. He was in Boston in 21, where he actually had his best post season ever, He had 5 homers and 9 driven in with 20 hits in 49 at bats. In 23 and 24 he was good in the post season, but hardly a demon. 18 hits in 65 at bats with 2 homers and 8 driven in. In 25 he was 16-64 with 1 homer and 7 driven in, and he struck out 24 times including 15 in the World Series. He has performed better in the post season than the regular season, but a demon? Not even close.
Rōki Sasaki performed very well in his first live batting practice (BP) session of Spring Training 2026 on Saturday, February 14, 2026. Facing live hitters for the first time this spring, Sasaki demonstrated both high-end velocity and an improved arsenal as he prepares to return to the Los Angeles Dodgers starting rotation. Key Highlights from February 2026 Session Velocity: Sasaki’s fastball was consistently high, touching 98.6 mph during the session. New Arsenal: He notably debuted a new slider that impressed observers and teammates. Korean infielder Hyeseong Kim evaluated the pitch as “good” after swinging and missing at it during the session. Physical Condition: Dodgers management, including General Manager Brandon Gomes, noted that Sasaki appeared stronger and more mechanically sound compared to his 2025 season. Overall Impression: Observers described the outing as “impressive,” with Sasaki himself stating that the ball felt like it was “coming out hot” and that the session went better than his previous bullpen sessions. Summary of 2026 Spring Training Start Category Performance Details Date February 14, 2026 Peak Velocity 98.6 MPH Key Batters Faced Hyeseong Kim Notable Pitch Improved slider with significant movement Management View Confirmed for the 2026 starting rotation This strong start is a positive sign for the Dodgers as Sasaki looks to bounce back from an injury-interrupted 2025 season where he posted a 4.72 ERA in limited starts. Sasaki is currently expected to be a permanent fixture in the Dodgers’ 2026 rotation alongside stars like Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Gordo? Is that you? dijo un tipo en Panamá
Pablo Lopez of the Twins has a torn ACL and will most likely miss the season. Mike Trout prefers to move back to CF. Trouble in Angel Land????
Trout should DH – Nothing more. He doesn’t care about winning – all he wants to do is play. That sums up what is wrong with the Angels!
In my opinion, you shouldn’t do that.
Fangraphs top prospect list: https://blogs.fangraphs.com/2026-top-100-prospects/ Five Dodgers ranked in their top 110 Josue De Paula at 17 (As per TrueBlue: De Paula is ranked between 14th and 24th on prospect lists at FanGraphs, Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus, ESPN, The Athletic, and MLB Pipeline, with an average ranking of 18.5.) Zyhir Hope 41 Eduardo Quintero 43 Emil Morales at 61st and…. River Ryan at 107th Looking at FanGraphs’s team rankings, the next prospects are: OF Sirota, pitcher Zazueta, and SS Freeland.
Bill Plunkett gets some info out of Kim about his swing and reviews the Dodgers’ 2B situation: https://www.ocregister.com/2026/02/16/tommy-edman-wont-be-ready-for-opening-day-creating-an-opening-at-2b/ Kim on his swing: “… The swing changes we made last year, I would say I felt about 70% comfortable,” Kim said through an interpreter. “And then this offseason and spring training, we were able to recognize some of the other stuff that we needed to work on, so I’m working very hard to make those changes again this year…” Roberts on Kim: “I think he got a good introduction to major-league pitching, and I think he’s going to be better this year. The surface line was fine for Hyeseong (a .280 average overall). He did a really nice job for us. I thought he had a great year for the opportunities he was given. I expect he’s going to have more opportunities this year and we’ll see where it takes him. But he’s a hard worker and he’s an easy, easy guy to bet on.” Roberts of Freeland: “I think at times the game sped up on him,” but he’s had a great winter, from talking with the hitting coaches. The swing is in a good place, right-handed, left-handed. I think for me it’s just taking good at-bats. What that means is taking walks, hitting the ball on a line, getting hits. Because, again, he’s a guy that doesn’t need to carry an offense. So I just want to see quality of at-bat and keep moving around the diamond.”
“GLENDALE, Ariz. — Intent on coming back from a down year, Teoscar Hernández cut down a little himself. Hernández came into Dodgers camp with a trimmer physique, having shed 12 pounds in the offseason. He felt that he was a little heavier than usual last season, and he’s hopeful that getting back to where he was in previous years can help him perform better. “I wasn’t moving the way I know I can move,” Hernández said Tuesday. “That was one of my goals for the offseason — trying to get back in the shape I used to be, the weights that I know I can perform really good.” Hernández didn’t physically feel at his best for much of last year. He spent about two weeks on the injured list with a left groin strain in May, and he later said the injury lingered throughout the season. It impacted all aspects of his game, and coming off one of his best seasons at the plate in 2024, Hernández regressed in ’25, hitting .247 with a .738 OPS in 134 games. He was also worth minus-9 outs above average, the fourth-worst mark among qualified right fielders. While Hernández took it upon himself to make a personal change to address last year’s shortcomings, the addition of star right fielder Kyle Tucker brought a change that was out of his control: Hernández will shift to left field, where he saw most of his time in 2024″. BIG season for Teo in 2026.
According to multiple reports, Clark resigned after an internal investigation revealed he had an “inappropriate” relationship with his sister-in-law, who was hired to work for the player’s union back in 2023.
I think so too. I think Andy Pages also takes a step forward.
Teo’s 2-2 on championships here and if anything is a little underappreciated. A big year from him puts us in the stratosphere.