Kiké Hernández is back for a 10th season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but won’t be able to contribute until the middle of the year as he continues to recover from left shoulder surgery.
Hernández not only won’t be ready for the start of the 2026 season, but he had to pass on another opportunity to represent Team Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.
Hernández played for Puerto Rico in each of the last two tournaments and now will have to watch from the sidelines as the island looks to win its first WBC.
With Puerto Rico hosting the first round of games in Pool A, Hernández has left Camelback Ranch for the time being so he could support his fellow countrymen, via Katie Woo of The Athletic:
“I don’t want to delay my rehab,” Hernández explained. “I just want to go and experience it and be with the guys. I feel like even though I’m not part of it, I can still be one of the leaders of that group. Unfortunately, I can’t be there for the whole tournament, but if I can be there for even two games and be part of it in Puerto Rico in some capacity, that would be pretty cool for me.”
Hernández reiterated the importance of the WBC to Puerto Rico, comparing it to the Olympics and World Cup:
“These are our Olympics,” he said. “This is the World Cup of baseball. Everybody from Puerto Rico wants to be a part of this.”
Although he won’t play in this year’s tournament, Hernández is still doing everything he can to support Puerto Rico. He recently bleached his hair blonde — a team tradition that began in 2023 — and played a key role in recruiting Nolan Arenado to the roster, who has heritage through his mother.
Even with Hernández unable to suit up for Puerto Rico, the Dodgers still have a representative on the team in new closer Edwin Díaz, who signed a three-year, $69 million contract during the offseason.
How Puerto Rico has fared in 2026 World Baseball Classic
Team Puerto Rico has gone a perfect 2-0 in pool play thus far, with two games remaining before the WBC quarterfinals begin this week.
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