Kiké Hernández missed the first 53 games of the 2026 season while recovering from left elbow surgery, and wound up making just four at-bats before landing back on the injured list.
And in reality, Hernández was never truly healthy in either of the games he started against the Colorado Rockies. He experienced discomfort in his right oblique during batting practice on Monday but hoped it was merely a tweak.
Hernández went 2-for-2 in series opener on Memorial Day, then added a home run and double on Tuesday before being removed because of a left oblique strain.
“It’s a significant tear,” manager Dave Roberts said of Hernández’s MRI results. “Don’t really know what the timeline is, but it’s certainly warranting an IL stint. But I don’t really know as far as the time to return.”
When Kiké Hernández might return
In most cases, an oblique strain requires anywhere from four to six weeks to heal. Mookie Betts had what he and the Dodgers deemed a more mild oblique injury, but he still missed six weeks.
But given the purported seriousness of Hernández’s injury, that timeline may be longer. According to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, the expectation is the Dodgers’ super utility man will miss upwards of eight weeks.
Kiké Hernández could miss around 6-8 weeks with the oblique, depending on when symptoms subside. https://t.co/4eYeAHKkdI
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) May 27, 2026
Hernández was visibly dejected in the dugout after being removed from the game on Tuesday night and again when speaking with reporters following the Dodgers’ blowout win. Roberts consoled Hernández during their conversation in the dugout, though the full details of which were lost amid the emotions.
“He understood how frustrated I was and he was trying to get me to keep my head up. Honestly at that point I was kind of not there, so I’m not necessarily sure of everything he said to me,” Hernández said. “He said he was sorry that this happened to me. I told him I was sorry for not being able to post and play the rest of the year.
“It was kind of, ‘Sorry this is happening, keep your head up. It’s going to be OK.’ I don’t really have much other than we’ll find out tomorrow how bad it is.”
Dodgers’ plan without Kiké
Alex Freeland was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City as the corresponding move to Hernández being put on the injured list, and he’s expected to receive the bulk of the opportunities at second base for the time being. Freeland will additionally make some starts at third base when Max Muncy is in need of a game off.
That all is resulting in Hyeseong Kim being relegated to a bench role amid his recent struggles.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
