The most impactful dynasties continually seek ways to add impactful players and enhance their overall roster. After winning their second straight title to cap off a memorable 2025 season, there is little doubt that the Los Angeles Dodgers’ front office will do everything they can to acquire fresh talent, but there is also one franchise staple that they should prioritize signing before the spring thaw.
Veteran spark plug Kiké Hernandez has played for teams other than the Dodgers over the course of his 12-year career in MLB, but his presence has been most impactful in Chavez Ravine. He’s been a part of the franchise’s last three World Series championships, and represents an aspect of the Dodgers’ latest run of success that is often overshadowed by the star power of Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and others.
Even though Hernandez will likely miss the beginning of the 2026 campaign while he recovers from his recent elbow surgery, the San Juan native has already shown the kind of swagger and pride that most clubhouses would welcome in a heartbeat.
Any conversation surrounding Hernandez has become more interesting by their recent decision to sign infielder Miguel Rojas to a one-year deal. Regardless, Hernandez should be in Los Angeles as they look to win their third title in a row.
Kiké Hernandez brings an element of grit that's difficult to replace
The argument for a reunion between Hernandez and the Dodgers has almost nothing to do with his stats. The righty only mashed 10 home runs and earned a .621 OPS across 92 games in the regular season as elbow inflammation forced him to miss time. But he was a key contributor during Los Angeles’ postseason run, both physically and emotionally.
In addition to playing the outfield smoothly, Hernandez hit .250 and drove in seven runs over 17 playoff contests. More importantly, he was one of the veteran leaders who continually expressed a sense of urgency.
Before the Dodgers became the darlings of the decade, they were known as a franchise that had become used to coming up short. Hernandez was on the 2017 and 2018 teams that fell short in the Fall Classic, and never seemed to forget the feeling of defeat.
“This is going to be my fifth (World Series), and I was on the wrong end of two,” Hernández told Gabe Smallson of Dodgers Nation before the 2025 World Series. “And when you’re on the wrong end of these series, especially when you get all the way to the end, it’s not a good feeling. I remember what it felt like when we got there, and then we lost, so after losing two, you get to the point where you’re like, ‘All right, I’m not necessarily complacent or happy yet, till we do what we’re trying to do.’”
All-Stars are critical, but emotional anchors like Hernandez can sometimes be what allows a dynasty to last longer than expected.
Ohtani, Betts, and Freeman were not with Los Angeles during Dave Roberts’ first two years. While Betts and Freeman saw the team get bounced by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2023 NLDS, neither is associated with the era that preceded the club’s past three championships. Hernandez was an integral part of the squad’s tortured past. As a result, he has helped lay the foundation for how they can make history in 2026.
Kiké Hernandez has embraced Dodgers’ role as villains
After the Dodgers swept the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2025 NLCS, manager Dave Roberts made a tongue-in-cheek remark about how his group was “ruining baseball.” Of course, the skipper might not have meant this literally, but it is undeniable that a sect of MLB believes that how the front office has assembled the team is fundamentally unfair.
Hernandez is well aware of this narrative and has leaned into it. Past failures have motivated him to play with grit and embrace the present, and the Dodgers’ newfound standing as baseball’s “evil empire.”
“My teammates have been pretty humble, but I think it's time to talk that s**t,” Hernández said at the Dodgers' championship rally. “Everybody has been asking questions about a dynasty. How about three in six years? How about back-to-back? Yes, we're a motherf*****g dynasty baby.”
Numerous players would enjoy taking on such a challenge, but Hernandez is uniquely qualified, given that he knows what it is like to be written off and underestimated. The Dodgers enjoyed multiple 100-win seasons during his first stint in La La Land, but analysts and enthusiasts could never respect the Boys in Blue in October.
When he returned after playing for the Boston Red Sox from 2021 to the middle of 2023, the tone had changed because Freeman had arrived, and the Dodgers had won a hotly debated 2020 title. Nevertheless, questions persisted until Ohtani joined the team in 2024. The persistence of Hernandez and Roberts characterizes the contemporary Dodgers in a way that should be lauded by president of baseball operations, Andrew Friedman, and the rest of the front office.
The Dodgers might make waves this winter, but they must also ensure that they stay faithful to the players who have allowed them to become the behemoths of baseball.
