Kiké Hernández was among the Los Angeles Dodgers free agents who publicly expressed a desire to remain with the team this offseason.
Although it took a while to materialize, the utility man announced that he reached an agreement to return to the Dodgers for the 2025 season.
Hernández struggled during the 2024 regular season but rose to the occasion to help the club win their eighth World Series title in franchise history.
During an appearance on “Dodgers Territory,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman praised Hernández for the leadership he showed in the playoffs:
“The impact he has made in October, on the field it was obvious. Off the field, this past October may have been the most impressive displays of leadership I’ve ever seen. His connecting with different guys, going out of his way on a number of different fronts, was quite possibly the most impressive leadership I’ve ever seen.”
Hernández hit .294/.357/.451 with one triple, two home runs and six RBI in 14 postseason games last year. That included a 5-for-18 showing against the New York Yankees in the World Series.
He provided additional value with his leadership off the field, which didn’t go unnoticed by Friedman and several other Dodgers officials.
Hernández has long been a fan favorite and strong presence in the clubhouse across his two stints with the Dodgers.
He was originally acquired from the Miami Marlins in December 2014 and went on to spend the next six seasons with the Dodgers. After a brief stint with the Boston Red Sox, Hernández returned to L.A. at the 2023 MLB trade deadline.
When will Kiké Hernández contract with Dodgers be announced?
Hernández’s new contract with the Dodgers likely won’t become official until after Spring Training workouts begin on Tuesday.
This week marked the beginning of the Dodgers being able to utilize the 60-day injured list, which is necessary as their 40-man roster is currently full.
It’s expected that the team will also reach an agreement with Clayton Kershaw in the near future.
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