Despite winning a franchise-best 106 games and seventh consecutive National League West title, the Los Angeles Dodgers suffered their earliest postseason exit in four years to the eventual World Series champion Washington Nationals.
The disappointing Game 5 NL Division Series loss ensured a longer-than-usual offseason for the organization. Prior to being eliminated in the first round, L.A. had advanced to back-to-back World Series appearances and three straight trips to the NL Championship Series.
With more time on their hands, some players opted to rest and heal their bodies while others stayed active. Clayton Kershaw revealed that he visited Driveline Baseball and continuously played catch to remain sharp.
Kiké Hernandez took advantage of the longer offseason by spending most of his time in Arizona and at Camelback Ranch, receiving input from other players while also continuing to work with Dodgers coaches, he explained on SportsNet LA:
“I thought it was huge. Obviously, spending the last two offseasons before this one in L.A., it was two very long seasons and I never got to go back (to Arizona). It was almost like that feeling of the heartbreak and sourness of how the season ended, kind of never went away. I kind of needed a detox from that this year. I found some peace out here in Arizona. It was great. It was great weather, the drive wasn’t that bad.
“When you get to work with players from other organizations and still get to come [to Camelback Ranch] and work on your baseball stuff with your coaches, I think that’s something that’s pretty cool. It’s something I hadn’t really experienced before. When I went to Puerto Rico, I obviously worked out with some other players but they’re kind of like my buddies. I never really saw them as other baseball players. This year I worked out with 10 or 15 other guys that I had to build relationships with, guys with a lot more service time than me, just get to hear different stories and bits and pieces of what you can absorb information from. I thought it was a great experience.”
Hernandez is coming off a less-than-stellar 2019 season, batting just .237/.304/.411 with 19 doubles, one triple, 17 home runs and 64 RBI in 460 plate appearances (130 games).
Looking to bounce back after making some adjustments over the winter, Hernandez has gotten off to a fast start in Cactus League play, hitting .250/.294/.875 with three home runs and eight RBI across 16 at-bats (six games).
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events and more!
