The Los Angeles Dodgers triumphed against the New York Yankees to claim their eighth World Series title in October. Despite a fourth World Series title in four years, the NL Pennant winners have been one of the most active teams in the offseason.
While the Dodgers have strengthened several positions on the roster by bringing in new faces, former utility players Kike Hernandez's potential return to Los Angeles remains uncertain.
Hernandez became a free agent after winning a second World Series ring with the Dodgers last year and is still to sign for a team in the offseason. However, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman is not closing the door on a reunion with the fan-favorite for the 2025 season.
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“The door will never be closed on Kiké,” Friedman said at Fan Fest Saturday after fans started chanting Hernandez's name.
With Spring training just a few weeks away, the Dodgers will need to move quickly to re-sign their former utility player. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also addressed the situation at the fan fest.
"We'll see if we can get that done, but we'll see," Roberts said on a potential deal for Hernandez. "But outside of that, there's been a lot of, a lot of good things happening in Dodger world.
MLB insider casts doubt on Kike Hernandez's potential Dodgers reunion
While fans will be excited by the recent updates on Kike Hernandez by the Dodgers management, ESPN insider David Schoenfield isn't sure about a reunion in LA.
"Hernandez had some nice moments for the Dodgers in the postseason, but his OPS+ over the past three seasons is just 78, and their signing of Hyeseong Kim pushes him out of L.A," Schoenfield wrote.
The arrival of Kim complicates a potential deal for Hernandez and the signing of Kirby Yates also meant that the Dodgers don't have any room on the 40-man roster.
Although the Dodgers brought back outfielder Teoscar Hernandez after his breakthrough season with the team in 2024, the team has also parted ways with Walker Buehler and Gavin Lux this offseason. So a deal can be done in the coming ways but it wouldn't be surprising if the Dodgers move on from the 33-year-old.
