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The Dodgers are trading for Kiké Hernández, acquiring the longtime popular utility man from the Red Sox, per multiple reports.
Dodgers are trading for Boston’s Kiké Hernández, sources tell me and @Ken_Rosenthal. The reunion is happening.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) July 25, 2023
The Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers are finalizing a trade that would send superutilityman Kiké Hernandez to the Dodgers, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 25, 2023
He has spent most of the 2023 season at shortstop but can play second base and center field as well.
The Dodgers made the trade official on Tuesday afternoon.
Getting a right-handed batter, especially one who can play both the infield and outfield, was definitely on the Dodgers’ to-do list. But Hernández simply hasn’t hit this season, just .222/.279/.320 with a 60 wRC+. Against left-handers, usually a strong suit for Hernández, he’s hitting .260/.314/.338 with a 76 wRC+.
In his career, Hernández is hitting .259/.346/.465 with a 118 wRC+ against southpaws.
Hernández’s batted-ball numbers paint an even bleaker picture this year, with a .197 expecting batting average, .295 expected slugging, and .248 expected wOBA, with all three stats in the bottom one percent in baseball per Baseball Savant.
The Dodgers are betting on a change of scenery helping Hernández, who was a key player on six division-winning teams that saw three World Series and a world championship during his time in Los Angeles. Hernández had some of the biggest moments during the postseason, including three home runs in a pennant-clinching Game 5 of the 2017 NLCS and a game-tying home run in Game 7 of the 2020 NLCS.
He’d also be replacing one of Jonny DeLuca or switch-hitting Yonny Hernández on the Dodgers bench, two players who barely play.
Hernández is making $10 million this season, which means there is about $3.7 remaining on his contract.
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