Utilityman Kiké Hernández Agrees to New Contract with Dodgers
Kiké Hernández to Re-Sign with Dodgers for 2025 Season
The team and Kiké Hernández have agreed on a one-year contract that will see the veteran utilityman re-sign with the club for its World Series defense in 2025, according to a person with knowledge of the situation who was not authorized to speak publicly.
A Familiar Face Returns
After welcoming a flurry of new faces to the organization this offseason, the Dodgers brought back a much more familiar figure on Sunday. The 33-year-old had his sights set on remaining with the team, having played a key role in their run to a title in October.
A Key Player in the Dodgers’ Success
During the team’s fan fest event this month, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Brandon Gomes said the Dodgers were still in talks with Hernández, even as he reportedly fielded interest from other teams, including the New York Yankees. And now, unlike when he left Los Angeles after the Dodgers’ 2020 title, he will be back to try and help the team become MLB’s first repeat champion in a quarter-century.
A Second Chapter with the Dodgers
A longtime fan favorite dating back to his initial tenure with the Dodgers from 2015 to 2020, Hernández has authored a successful second chapter at Chavez Ravine since being reacquired by the Dodgers at the 2023 trade deadline. He hit .262 in 54 games with the Dodgers, helping him earn a one-year, $4-million contract for 2024.
A Strong Closing Stretch
Last season, Hernández started slowly, carrying a sub-.200 batting average into August. But midseason refinements to his swing, as well as the discovery of an eye condition that prompted him to begin wearing glasses, led to a strong closing stretch that carried into the postseason, when Hernández provided some of his most memorable moments in a Dodgers uniform.
A Perfect Fit for the Dodgers
“This guy always rises to the occasion,” manager Dave Roberts said at the time of Hernández, a career .278 hitter in playoff baseball. “The reason we got him this year was to win 11 games in October.”
Conclusion
The message, evidently, was received, with Hernández’s return fulfilling one of the final wishes the fan base — and his Dodgers teammates — had for the team’s big-spending winter. With the deal pending a physical, Hernández is set to join the Dodgers for their World Series defense in 2025.
FAQs
* What is the duration of Kiké Hernández’s new contract with the Dodgers?
+ The contract is for one year, pending a physical.
* What is the value of Kiké Hernández’s new contract with the Dodgers?
+ The terms of the deal are not publicly disclosed, but it is reportedly worth a one-year, $4-million contract for 2024.
* What is Kiké Hernández’s career batting average in playoff baseball?
+ .278
* What was the reason for Kiké Hernández’s return to the Dodgers?
+ He had his sights set on remaining with the team, having played a key role in their run to a title in October, and the team had been open to re-signing him despite interest from other teams.
