After beginning the season on the 60-day injured list because of the ongoing recovery from left elbow surgery, Kiké Hernández was activated on the second day he was eligible.
His timeline crystalized weeks before returning on Memorial Day, which was ahead of the timeline general manager Brandon Gomes outlined before Opening Day.
Unfortunately for Hernández and the Dodgers, he only managed to start in two games before landing back on the injured list. The latest issue was because of a left oblique strain that Hernández suffered while taking batting practice before his season debut.
Kiké Hernández impressing Dave Roberts
Upon undergoing an MRI on the oblique, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the results showed Hernández suffered “significant tear.” It was estimated he would miss a minimum of eight weeks and potentially up to three months.
But now days away from being six weeks removed since the injury, Hernández has been going through fielding drills and on Friday took batting practice.
“Honestly, he looks normal,” said an amazed Roberts. “It’s really, I don’t want to say miraculous, but I’m really in disbelief how well he’s responded, given the injury. … Swinging, throwing, everything. There’s no compensation or feeling it. Certainly a quick healer. He’s working hard to get back.”
On Sunday, Hernández was among the batters to face Edwin Díaz in his first time pitching to hitters since having surgery to remove loose bodies.
Hernández is not on the 60-day injured list, so he already is eligible to return. Of course, there is still more healing and additional steps in the recovery process that need to be completed. Namely a rehab assignment, which Roberts said he was not yet certain when Hernández would begin, much less complete.
While it was only four at-bats over two games, Hernández made an immediate impact and looked to be validating his comments about being healthy after a significant left elbow injury limited him for most of last season.
Hernández went 4-for-4 with two doubles, one home runs and two RBI prior to landing back on the injured list. He expressed remorse over hiding the oblique strain that the 34-year-old initially hoped was more of a tweak that significant injury.
“I was pretty embarrassed that I did that. I didn’t really tell anybody about it, because I just thought it was a small tweak, little tightness,” Hernández explained the night he was removed early. “But today it felt more than that.”
Hernández further added, “I feel pretty defeated right now.”
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