Kiké Hernandez hopes to change his career tune

Phil Gurnee ♦ March 28, 2018 ♦ 3 Comments

The fracture of Justin Turner’s wrist during spring games was a setback for the Dodgers but an opportunity for Kiké Hernandez to re-write the story about his career. Until now that story tells us that Hernandez is a utility player who can mash left-hand pitchers but struggles against right-hand pitching.  Hernandez is the valued bench player who can fill in admirably at every position on the diamond, who at times will play the position even better than the player he’s filling in for.

A fan favorite Hernandez re-wrote the Dodger postseason books when he bashed three home runs against the Cubs in the NLCS giving him the most total bases of any Dodger in postseason history.

Player                    Date Series Opp   Rslt H 2B 3B HR TB RBI
Enrique Hernandez   2017-10-19   NLCS CHC W 11-1 3  0  0  3 12   7
Steve Garvey        1978-10-04   NLCS PHI  W 9-5 3  0  1  2 11   4
Eric Karros         1995-10-04   NLDS CIN  L 4-5 3  1  0  2 10   4
Steve Garvey        1974-10-09   NLCS PIT W 12-1 4  0  0  2 10   4
Duke Snider         1955-10-02     WS NYY  W 5-3 3  1  0  2 10   2

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 3/28/2018.

He might already be the best second baseman on the team but with Logan Forsythe under contract, Logan had the gig as the starting second baseman headed into spring.

Now with Turner’s injury, Logan will slide over to 3rd opening up 2nd base for Hernandez. How much time he actually gets with Chase on the bench is the question but I think the Dodgers give him some at-bats against right-hand pitching.

Even with the Matt Kemp renaissance in LF, it is doubtful that Matt Kemp keeps the gig over the full year so the expected platoon of Hernandez/Toles or Hernandez/Pederson will probably still be in play sometime this summer. The other possibility is that if Hernandez can impress enough and Matt Kemp does prove you can go home again, he might turn Logan Forsythe into the utility player.

For Hernandez, this March was a double win. He not only gets his shot at a full-time gig, but the Dodgers working with him and his wife are donating $2 Million to the rebuild of Puerto Rico.

PUERTO RICO STRONG: Dodger Owner & Chairman Mark Walter and the Los Angeles Dodgers today announced a donation of $2 million to Habitat for Humanity of Puerto Rico to support rebuilding efforts following the devastation left behind by Hurricane Maria in 2017. Habitat for Humanity of Puerto Rico was selected to receive the donation after consultation with Toa Baja, Puerto Rico resident and Dodger infielder/outfielder Kiké Hernández and his fiancé Mariana Vicente, who added to the Dodgers’ donation with over $225,000 raised through their fundraiser on You Caring and “Puerto Rico Se Levanta” charity t-shirt sales through 500 LEVEL. The donation has been earmarked to focus on rehabilitating/reconstructing damaged homes in Humacao, Santa Isabel, Ponce, Patillas, Arroyo and constructing new housing in Guayama. Fans can join in the efforts of Mark, Kiké, Mariana and the Dodgers by donating at english.habitatpr.org/dodgers/.