It appeared the Los Angeles Dodgers injury epidemic was dwindling. That is, until Tuesday night. Kiké Hernández left the game after the fourth inning last night after hurting his oblique. Manager Dave Roberts was seen in the dugout consoling Hernández after he left the game. Roberts gave an update on the Dodgers’ super utility man, and it isn’t good. Hernández has a “significant tear,” Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports, and there is no timetable for his return. Alex Freeland will replace Hernández on the roster.
Dodgers Injury Bug Strikes Again
Hernández felt the oblique tighten up last night in the batting cage but thought he could “play through it.” Unfortunately, it was on the home run swing that he felt it grab, and pain when he ran the bases. In his brief return between the lines, Hernandez was on fire. He had a home run and two runs batted in, with a batting average of 1.000.
Dave Roberts said Kiké Hernández’s MRI showed a “significant tear” in his left oblique. Did not have a timeline.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) May 27, 2026
Back on the IL
This is the second time in as many days for Hernández on the injured list. He started the season on the IL following offseason elbow surgery. It was an injury that Dodgers team physician Neal ElAtrrache described as the worst of its kind he has ever seen. Now, the Dodgers version of “Mr. October” will be sidelined at least three or four months, according to the best estimates.
The Replacements
Freeland will get the majority of playing time in Hernández’s stead, after being sent down to Triple-A earlier in May when the Dodgers activated Mookie Betts. Freeland was already on the way to Los Angeles to replace Hyeseong Kim. The young Korean has reverted to some old habits with the bat, including “swinging wildly,” outside the zone. The Dodgers prefer Freeland’s approach at the plate. They think he shows more discipline and better ” at-bat quality” even if the results are yet to show themselves. However, after a good week at Triple-A Oklahoma City, Freeland is mired in a slump.
And the Good News Is….
However, there is good news on the Dodgers injury front. Max Muncy is back in the lineup on Wednesday. The third baseman missed four straight games after being hit on the wrist by a pitch in Milwaukee. Muncy was one of the offensive stalwarts in the early season as the top of the lineup was struggling to find its stride. Shohei Ohtani was hit by a pitch last night as well, but no harm, no foul. One wonders after the mixed news if the Dodgers’ glass is half full or half empty.
Main Photo Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
