Kiké Hernández reinstated from IL, set to make season debut
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LOS ANGELES -- After hitting their stride on the road, the Dodgers received a reinforcement upon their return to Dodger Stadium.
Fan-favorite utility man Kiké Hernández was activated from the 60-day injured list ahead of Monday night's series opener against the Rockies. Fellow utility man Santiago Espinal was designated for assignment as the corresponding move.
Hernández slotted into the ninth spot in the lineup at third base for his season debut, with Max Muncy getting a third day off after being hit by a pitch on the right wrist on Friday night in Milwaukee.
When Hernández re-signed with the Dodgers just before Spring Training, the team knew that he would miss a chunk of the early season as he continued to recover from surgery on the left elbow that had bothered him for much of 2025. Hernández's rehab progressed right on schedule, capped by a 12-game stint with Triple-A Oklahoma City in which he slashed .214/.298/.310 and primarily played third base, with appearances at second base and center field as well.
The Dodgers are rolling after going 7-2 on their road trip through Anaheim, San Diego and Milwaukee, and Hernández's return should bring an additional infusion of energy. The franchise leader in postseason appearances with 92 games and counting, Hernández truly comes alive once the calendar flips to October. But he can be a difference maker in the regular season as well.
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“There’s a different energy with Kiké," manager Dave Roberts told reporters in Milwaukee, including MLB.com's Jackson Stone. "There’s a levity, there’s an intensity, there’s a good worker in there, a winning player, so I’m looking forward to having that edge."
Hernández hit .203 with a .621 OPS in 93 games in 2025 -- in which he spent about two months on the injured list due to his left elbow -- but he was in the starting lineup for all of the Dodgers' postseason games. His playing time could shake out similarly as L.A. bids for a three-peat this year.
Espinal, who joined the Dodgers on a Minor League deal during Spring Training, hit 9-for-41 (.220) in 26 games this season. The 31-year-old is out of Minor League options, and his role as a right-handed-hitting utility man became redundant once Hernández returned to action.