Kiké Hernández has made the postseason in nine of 11 seasons so far in his career. All but one of those playoff runs have come as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Over the course of 86 playoff games and 230 at-bats, Hernández has garnered a proven track record as a player who is at his best when the lights are brightest. Not only does Hernández rank ninth among active players with 15 postseason home runs, but he also has a knack for coming through in big moments when the Dodgers need it most.
During an episode of “House Calls,” Hernández explained how his mindset allows him to thrive in the postseason environment:
“I’m kind of addicted to playoff baseball and I need that in my life. It’s what I’ve been dreaming of my entire life. I never necessarily dreamed of being a big leaguer. Whenever I would dream of being in the big leagues, I always envisioned myself playing in the playoffs, World Series games and things like that.
“Part of it is wanting to be in the moment. Just desperately wanting to be in that moment and get the opportunity to come up big for the team. It brings out the best in me and I kind of go into sicko mode a little bit when it comes to postseason baseball.
“When you have good moment after good moment in your career, you start believing that’s who you are. That you’re a postseason player. That’s what I think of myself.”
Hernández has had many notable playoff performances with the Dodgers, like in 2017 when he hit .320/.452/.720 in 25 at-bats and helped the Dodgers reach the World Series with three home runs in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series.
He has also been an indispensable part of the Dodgers’ last two World Series winning rosters. While the 2020 postseason was not the most impressive of his career on paper, Hernández’s home run in Game 7 of the NLCS against the Atlanta Braves is one of the most significant moments.
He was consistently productive throughout each round of the playoffs in 2024, hitting .294/.357/.451 with two homers and six RBI in 51 at-bats.
His most dominant performance did not come with the Dodgers, but with the Boston Red Sox in 2021. Hernández hit .408/.423/.837 with four doubles, one triple, and five home runs in 11 games.
Kiké Hernández: Dodgers ‘well-positioned’ to repeat
Hernández is not the first member of the 2024 Dodgers to express faith in the team’s ability to repeat as champions in 2025, but he did become the latest.
Given his optimistic view of the team, prior comments and wanting to be in position for October baseball, it makes it likely Hernández will re-sign with the Dodgers ate some point.
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