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Dodgers manager in 'disbelief' with Kiké Hernandez's recovery

Los Angeles Dodgers On SI · Jul 21, 2026 20:30 · 3 min read

Dodgers Manager in 'Disbelief' With Kiké Hernandez's Recovery — May 25, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Enrique Hernandez (8) hits an RBI double against the Colorado Rockies in the third inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is shocked at how quickly Kiké Hernández has recovered from his injury.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been without utility man Kiké Hernández for most of the season due to various injuries.

Hernández opened the season on the injured list while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. The veteran was able to return in late May for just two games before going back on the IL with an oblique injury.

The initial diagnosis for Hernández was that he suffered a "significant tear" of the oblique, and he was expected to miss 8-12 weeks. But the veteran has been putting in a lot of work behind the scenes to recover from the injury, and he's now on track to return soon.

Hernández started a rehab assignment this past weekend, and should be back soon. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts spoke about the process, showing some surprise at how quickly the fan favorite has been able to recover.

"He looks normal," Roberts said. "I'm not saying miraculous, but I'm really in disbelief how well he responded, given the injury."

According to Hernández, the plan is for him to be activated during the Dodgers' first homestand after the All-Star break, which runs from July 28 to Aug. 2. The Dodgers will be taking on the Seattle Mariners and Boston Red Sox during this homestand.

Once Hernández does return, it will be a nice sight for the Dodgers, who have missed his services this year. While the Dodgers are the best team in baseball right now, having their utility man offers Roberts more flexibility when it comes to building out lineups.

The Dodgers want to make sure that Hernández is good to go for the playoffs, as he's proven to perform well when the lights are brightest. But oblique injuries can be tricky to heal, so the team won't rush anything unless he is fully ready to return.

Kiké Hernández's Recent Injury History

The Dodgers star played through injury last year before his offseason surgery.

Somehow Hernández still performed well in the playoffs despite Dr. Neal ElAttrache calling his injury the "worst" he's ever seen of its kind.

The utility man was able to recover with the delayed start to the year, only to go back down with injury two games into his season.

Hernández first suffered the oblique injury during batting practice before his first game this season. But the veteran was too embarrassed to admit anything to the Dodgers staff, which turned out to be a poor decision.

“I was pretty embarrassed about it,” Hernández said at the time. “I had to talk to you guys right after I hit [batting practice on Monday] and tell you guys I was pain-free at the time. I thought it was just a weird tightness. Never done an oblique before. So I didn’t really know what I was feeling."

Even playing through the injury, Hernández still impacted the limited games he played in, going 4-for-4 at the dish with one home run and two RBIs. Hernández was immediately shut down once the injury was discovered, and he's been on the shelf ever since.