The Los Angeles Angels have already lost Shohei Ohtani to the Los Angeles Dodgers. But as the Angels try to pick up the pieces, the Dodgers may once again win out in the Los Angeles free agency battle.

The Angels have been showing interest in utility player Kike Hernandez. However, some around the league believe Hernandez prefers a return to the Dodgers, via Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Hernandez began the 2023 season with the Boston Red Sox, where he appeared in 86 games. He finished out the year with the Dodgers, hitting .237 with 11 home runs 61 RBI and four stolen bases. Hernandez did appear to find a spark once getting to LA, as he hit .262 with five home runs and 30 RBI. He essentially matched his output in Boston despite playing 54 games with the Dodgers.

But the 2023 season wasn't Hernandez's first experience in Los Angeles. He won the 2020 World Series with the team and has appeared in 702 games total. With seven of his 10 years in MLB coming with the Dodgers, it's clearly a franchise Hernandez feels comfortable with.

But that won't stop the Angels from trying to pursue him. Alongside his work in the box, Hernandez is also a versatile defender capable of covering any position on the diamond. That would allow Los Angeles to pick and choose how to use Hernandez, allowing LA to be more flexible in their lineup.

That is of course if Kike Hernandez signs with the Angels. While he may not be the most talked about free agent, the utility man is receiving plenty of interest; namely from the Dodgers. With a potential return to his former team on the table, the Angels might lose out once more, this time in the Hernandez sweepstakes.