Kiké Hernandez started for the Los Angeles Dodgers in left field on Saturday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. By the end of the night he was filling in at second base and had been at the center of multiple key plays.
“The ability, versatility, unselfishness to move all over the diamond, I don’t take it for granted,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It’s something people take for granted. He had a huge night.”
Hernandez doubled with one out in the fifth inning of a tied game. He was at third base when the Diamondbacks elected to intentionally walk Scott Van Slyke. Moments later, Van Slyke broke for second base.
Diamondbacks catcher Chris Herrmann faked a throw to second and attempted to backpick Hernandez, who had aggressively come down the line. The ball hit Hernandez square in the back, and he raced home to score the go-ahead run.
With Logan Forsythe coming out in the top of the fifth inning for precautionary reasons because of hamstring tightness, Hernandez was moved to second base. He made a backhanded stop and running throw on a grounder up the middle to help Alex Wood complete a 1-2-3 sixth inning.
But it was in the eighth that Hernandez arguably made his biggest impact. Kenley Jansen was facing Brandon Drury with two outs and the tying runner on first base. Drury hit a flare into shallow right field that Hernandez tracked down for a running catch.
That was in spite of Yasiel Puig barreling in his direction and eventually diving for the ball. Hernandez never broke stride. “If it were me, I would have probably run away from the ball,” Roberts said.
“Kiké showed he was fearless. It was a huge out, obviously. It could have changed the game. He’s very athletic, is a great defender, and heck of a baseball player.”
Hernandez earned the final spot on the Dodgers Opening Day roster, beating out Chris Taylor. The decision drew some criticism considering the stark results Hernandez and Taylor had during the spring. Hernandez also struggled mightily with the Dodgers last season, though it may have been a byproduct of his attempt to play through injury.
Roberts said Hernandez’s ability to play center field was the deciding factor in carrying him, and not Taylor on the active roster.
