Fan-favorite and versatile player Kiké Hernández has agreed to return to the Dodgers. With Hernández back in the fold, the Dodgers’ roster is largely set, barring the expected re-signing of Clayton Kershaw. The team’s 40-man roster is currently full, but roster spots will open up this week when the team places injured players on the 60-day injured list.

The Dodgers have carefully balanced adding top-tier talent with retaining key members of their championship team. Hernández, along with Teoscar Hernández and Blake Treinen, is one of the notable returnees in free agency, having played a pivotal role in the team’s eighth World Series title.

The Dodgers are getting stacked again, and it is worth noting that this is a squad that won the World Series, and not in dire need of a huge splash in the offseason – and adding Hernández seems to be quite another win that the team could be happy about at this point in time. After all, they didn’t close the door for the star and made sure that he would have the chance to return to the club when the time comes.

A Splash Signing

Hernández shines brightest in high-pressure moments, boasting a career .874 OPS in the postseason, with 15 home runs. Since 2021, he has hit .352 with a 1.008 OPS and seven postseason home runs. With 11 years of experience, Hernández brings depth to the bench and versatility in the field.

Although he is a below-average hitter overall (career 92 OPS+), he remains a valuable platoon option who can still provide occasional power. In 2024, he hit 12 home runs in 126 games for the Dodgers.

In recent seasons, injuries and health issues have affected Hernández's performance, and his career .713 OPS has dipped in the past two years. However, his .654 OPS in 2024 marked his best performance since a .786 OPS with the Red Sox in 2021. Hernández is known for his solid plate discipline, as evidenced by his 26.4% chase rate in 2024, and his 19.6% whiff rate, which was better than the league average.

He also posted an average exit velocity just below 90 mph, above the league norm. Still, he finished 2024 with a .229 batting average and a .281 on-base percentage. That says a lot about how Hernández may well be a huge, underrated addition that many clubs in the league have overlooked, and now the Dodgers have managed to come up with another swashbuckler in the squad.

Bringing the Thunder

The Dodgers are definitely making a lot of impressive strides so far, and one can say that the defending World Series champions are going to be quite the squad to look out for again, and that has been really capped off by the signing that brought Kiké Hernández back into the fold of the Dodgers royalty squad.

Los Angeles has built a roster that is not only deep but also remarkably versatile, with a potent combination of offense, defense, and pitching. On offense, the Dodgers have added some of the best talent available while retaining key players who were instrumental in their 2024 World Series victory. With a lineup brimming with power hitters, elite contact players, and players who thrive in clutch moments, the Dodgers have the offensive firepower to outslug any team in the league.

The Dodgers have spent this offseason meticulously assembling a roster designed to accomplish something that hasn’t been done since 2000: repeat as World Series champions. With a mix of seasoned veterans, rising stars, and strategic additions, the team is undeniably one of the most talented and well-rounded in baseball, if not the best.