Kiké Hernandez is moving closer to a return, and the Los Angeles Dodgers are taking their time with it. After an oblique strain in late May, the utility player has not been rushed back, but the latest read from Dave Roberts suggests the comeback is trending in the right direction.
That matters now because the Dodgers are weighing roster upgrades with the trade deadline approaching, and Hernandez could be part of the help already on the way. Los Angeles may not need a major splash if enough injured players come back in time to deepen the group without a deal.
Hernandez’s injury came after he opened his season 4-for-4 against the Colorado Rockies, then went down with the oblique strain in late May. He has not been placed on the 60-day injured list, which leaves open the possibility of a quicker return than the club would have had to plan for otherwise. Roberts said over the weekend that Hernandez looks normal and is swinging and throwing without compensation or pain.
“Honestly, he looks normal,” Roberts said, adding that he was “really in disbelief” at how well Hernandez had responded, calling him a quick healer who is working hard to get back. That kind of update matters because oblique injuries can linger if a player pushes too soon, and the Dodgers have chosen patience even while the signs have been encouraging.
The caution also fits the shape of Hernandez’s value. He has won three World Series and has played just about every position outside catcher, right field and pitcher, which gives the Dodgers a flexible piece if he is available around the deadline. Alex Freeland has helped cover the reserve infield role, but Hernandez brings a wider defensive range and another bat the club can use without reaching outside the roster.
The broader picture is simple: the Dodgers are waiting on reinforcements, not emptying the system for a headline move. Will Smith is another looming comeback, and if Hernandez is cleared in the coming stretch, Los Angeles may decide its own injured list is already doing part of the deadline work. What remains unresolved is the exact day he returns, and that is the one date the Dodgers are not willing to force.
