The Los Angeles Dodgers emphasize versatility perhaps more than any organization and construct their roster accordingly. One player capable of lining up all over the diamond is Kiké Hernandez, who just completed his sixth season with the organization.
The 29-year-old provided above-average defense at six different positions in 2020 but struggled at the plate, hitting .230/.270/.410 with eight doubles, five home runs and 20 RBI over 148 plate appearances (48 games).
Hernandez uncharacteristically did not fare well against left-handed pitching, batting .217/.260/.413 in 50 plate appearances. By comparison, he hit .237/.276/.409 in 98 plate appearances against the same split.
Hernandez’s offensive woes carried over to the start of the postseason. He made two appearances in the Wild Card Series — both as a defensive replacement — before going hitless in five at-bats against the San Diego Padres in the National League Division Series.
Hernandez finally broke through in the NL Championship Series against the Atlanta Braves, collecting four hits in 13 at-bats over six games. All four of those were good for extra bases and he drove in two RBI as well.
Hernandez picked up two additional hits and RBI against the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series. All-in-all, he batted .214/.290/.464 with one double, two home runs and four RBI in 31 trips to the plate (17 games).
2020 highlight
Hernandez was responsible for one of the Dodgers’ biggest hits of the 2020 season. On the brink of elimination in Game 7 of the NLCS, he led off the bottom of the sixth with a pinch-hit, game-tying home run against Braves reliever A.J. Minter.
L.A. went on to win, battling back from a 3-1 series deficit to advance to their third World Series in the past four seasons.
2021 outlook
Hernandez was one of seven Dodgers players to reach free agency the morning after the World Series concluded. There have yet to be any public reports of the club’s interest in re-signing him, and only one indication thus far that the Minnesota Twins have interest.
Should Hernandez not receive a substantial contract offer from other teams, he would appear likely to reach an agreement with the Dodgers.
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