On a roster replete with superstars, the value of a single role player can be easily dismissed. The Dodgers, however, were keenly aware of the void created by the absence of one veteran utility player. His departure diminished the team’s morale and dugout cohesion—a gap that even their abundance of high-profile talent could not fill.
We are talking about the veteran Kiké Hernández, the guy who plays five positions and keeps the clubhouse loose even when the pressure tightens. Signed for $6.5 million this season, Hernández hasn’t suited up since early July due to persistent left elbow inflammation. At one point, whispers around the team turned grim. Would he return at all? Could the elbow be worse than the Dodgers let on? With each passing week, optimism dimmed.
But late Tuesday night, manager Dave Roberts flipped the narrative, revealing that Hernández has responded well to a cortisone injection and PRP therapy. Even better, he’s now back on the field and running. It’s the most encouraging sign yet in what’s been a frustrating rehab for the 33-year-old, who had been stuck in neutral for weeks with no clear return date. Now? The gears are moving again.
#Dodgers Dave Roberts said Kiké Hernandez injured left elbow has responded well to cortisone injection and PRP. On the field running now.
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) August 6, 2025
For the Dodgers, this isn’t just about one man’s comeback; it’s about regaining momentum. Hernández’s return, even in phases, brings a stabilizing presence to a team that’s been tiptoeing through injury setbacks and lineup inconsistencies. He’s one of those guys who can fill whatever role is missing on the team, sparking his team up, and making the kind of plays that might not make the highlight reel but always seem to make a difference in the end.
There’s still work ahead. Hernández must ramp up to full baseball activity, fielding, throwing, and hitting live pitching, before his name is penciled back into the lineup. The worst-case scenario, however, appears off the table now.
If this version of Kiké keeps trending upward, the Dodgers might just be getting their secret weapon back at the perfect time.
Dodgers’ deadline gamble backfires loudly
At the trade deadline, fans across Los Angeles waited for the fireworks. Big names had been floating in the rumor mill, rival contenders were pulling off splashy moves, and the Dodgers? Well, they played it safe and decided to stick with what they had and hope their own guys could step up.
But since the deadline, the Dodgers’ offense has unraveled in real time. A once-feared lineup has turned into a strikeout machine, with a 25.2% strikeout rate, the worst in Major League Baseball. That’s not just a slump, it’s a full-blown siren, blaring louder with every helpless swing.
Dodgers hitters aren’t just striking out; they’re getting baited into bad pitches, flailing at breaking balls in the dirt. Situational hitting? A lost art lately. What used to be confident, selective aggression has curdled into panic-guessing, and opposing pitchers know it. They’re toying with the zone, and LA’s lineup keeps falling into the same trap.
This was supposed to be the part of the season where reinforcements arrived. Instead, the front office stood pat. No new bat, no spark, just hope that internal solutions would magically click.
Now, with strikeouts piling up, rallies dying early, and silence from the dugout, the cracks are no longer subtle. They’re loud. And for a team that expects to be playing deep into October, the choice to do nothing at the deadline is looking less like patience and more like a misstep the Dodgers might not outrun.
The post Crucial Injury Update on $6.5M Dodgers Star Emerges Amid Franchise’s Season Return Doubts appeared first on EssentiallySports.
