The Boston Red Sox have reportedly made the first big deadline move, trading Kiké Hernandez to his old team and sending him back to the West Coast. After signing him as a free agent in 2021, Boston is sending Hernandez back to the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he enjoyed his greatest success. The trade was first reported by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The return for Boston is unknown at this point.
Dodgers getting Kiké Hernandez, sources tell me and @FabianArdaya.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 25, 2023
Red Sox Trade Kiké Hernandez Back to Dodgers
Hernandez now heads back to Tinseltown, where he first became a notable big-league player. Following brief stints in 2014 with the Houston Astros and Miami Marlins to begin his career, he was part of a mega-trade between Miami and LA that offseason. Once he joined the Dodgers, Hernandez showed himself to be a reliable two-way player.
Defensively, he is a versatile utility man, able to play multiple positions very well. While he is not a high-average hitter, Hernandez is a proven clutch hitter, especially in the postseason. Perhaps his most impressive performance in a playoff series was in the 2017 NLCS, in which the Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs. He played in four of the five games, going 4-for-9 (.444) with three homers, seven RBI, and a 1.990 OPS. His first tenure in LA, during which the Dodgers won the NL West every single year, came to a triumphant end in 2020. LA won the World Series in the COVID-shortened campaign, snapping their 32-year drought.
Hernandez continued his clutch streak in his first year in Boston. The team made an unlikely run to the ALCS, and Hernandez was one of their top contributors at the plate in October 2021. He hit .450 and .385, respectively, in that year’s ALDS and ALCS. For good measure, he totaled five home runs. While Hernandez was hampered by a hip injury in 2022, he is back at full strength this year.
The Red Sox had been using Hernandez at shortstop a lot this year, filling the hole left by Xander Bogaerts. However, he can also slot in second base and center field. This gives the Dodgers a myriad of options for using Hernandez.
Photo Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports
Players Mentioned: Kiké Hernandez, Xander Bogaerts
