Kiké Hernández himself announced: I'm back with the Dodgers!

On the eve of the Los Angeles Dodgers' spring training, the news fans had waited all winter for finally came directly from him.

Kiké Hernández signed a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the Dodgers today, officially rejoining the team and entering his 10th season with them. To make room on the 40-man roster for this signing, right-handed pitcher Evan Phillips, who just signed, was moved to the 60-day injured list.

As a core member of the Dodgers' three World Series championships, Hernández returns with a clear goal: to help the team win a three-peat. He wrote on his personal Instagram: "Three-peat, that sounds awesome!"

Last year, Hernández set a Dodgers record with 92 postseason appearances. Over his 12-year major league career, his regular season performance has been steady but unspectacular; his value lies more in his versatility playing all over the field than his bat. However, the 34-year-old Puerto Rican veteran switches into "Kiké October mode" come playoff time—his postseason OPS of 0.825 far exceeds his regular season 0.708.

In the 2025 season, Hernández's offensive numbers declined across the board, largely due to battling a left elbow injury. He spent about two months on the injured list and posted a .203 batting average with a 0.621 OPS in 93 regular season games.

But come October, manager Dave Roberts included him in the starting lineup every game. He started all 17 postseason games, playing left field in 13, third base in two, and center field in two.

Statistically (0.250/0.290/0.359), his postseason numbers were similar to the regular season, but he was never absent in big moments. In the National League Wild Card series against the Reds, he had multiple hits in back-to-back games; in Game 1 of the NL Division Series vs. the Phillies, he hit a crucial two-run double; in Game 6 of the World Series against the Blue Jays, after catching a ball in left field, he immediately triggered the game-ending double play—nearly pulling the Dodgers back from the brink.

After becoming a free agent in the offseason, Hernández revealed he had undergone surgery on his right elbow. Initially, he did not disclose the exact procedure or recovery timeline, but later admitted on Adam Ottavino’s podcast that he had a flexor tendon repair and might miss "a month or two" of the regular season.

Like Evan Phillips (Tommy John surgery) and Brock Stewart (shoulder injury), Hernández is considered a "mid-season reinforcement." The core of this championship-contending team remains intact, with additions like Kyle Tucker and Edwin Díaz filling major gaps. Now that the veteran has finally returned, the last piece of the 40-man roster puzzle is in place.