In an interview on the All The Smoke Baseball podcast, former Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Chase Utley had a riveting message on Kiké Hernandez.
All The Smoke wrote in their caption: “Chase Utley explains why Kiké Hernández is so valuable to the Dodgers. There’s a reason Kiké is a 3x World Series champion. Sure, the Dodgers have had some loaded rosters that won it all, but every championship team has its glue guy, and that is exactly what Kiké is. There might not be a playoff riser comparable to Kiké Hernández in MLB history. His career .710 OPS in the regular season jumps to a .826 when the playoffs roll around, making him a huge reason why the Dodgers have found so much playoff success in recent years. The Full Chase Utley episode is live on YouTube! Follow @ats.baseball for more.”
Utley, now long retired, played for the Dodgers from the latter half of 2015 through the end of his career in 2018.
His production as a Dodger paled in comparison to his prime with the Philadelphia Phillies, but he was a solid veteran nonetheless.
Chase Utley Makes Strong Claim on Kiké Hernandez
In his interview on All The Smoke, Utley delivered this message on Hernandez:
“Kike Hernandez, tell me a little bit about him,” said host Matt Barnes (former NBA player). “I know you worked with him, you know Kike at all?”
“No, I don’t know him, I know him from the outside,” Utley replied honestly. “He’s a good dude. So going back, as I was the elder statesman on the Dodgers, Kiké was a young player. Super, super talented player. [He] didn’t really know how to go about it at that particular time. Obviously, you could see the talent, but he was kind of all over the place. …
“Actually, I don’t know if this was advice from someone in his camp, but he essentially just started tailing me around, whether it was in the weight room, whether it was in the video room. And he was just trying to absorb as much as he could. And he’s such a character, a ton of energy, a great guy for any clubhouse. The fact that he’s a super-talented player who can play any position makes him even more valuable. So yeah, great dude, someone that I’ll forever be friends with. Now he’s a young father, still having success, still with the Dodgers. And they bring him around because of his intangibles.”
Utley’s remarks mirror the way Dodger fans often view Hernandez.
Although the regular-season numbers often lack, his knack for the big moment and clubhouse presence provide more than enough value.
Dodger fans haven’t forgotten about the postseason legend.
Social Media Reacts to Dodgers’ Postseason Hero
Here’s what people are saying:
Brandon Warne: “It’s amazing how the Dodgers bench is always 3 guys you’ve never heard of with solid numbers and/or one defining skill (defense/speed/platoon splits) and Kiké Hernandez.”
Dodgers On SI: “Dodgers manager Dave Roberts provided the LATEST injury updates on: Kiké Hernández, Edwin Díaz, Teoscar Hernández, Blake Snell.”
Former Dodgers’ Infielder Makes Honest Kiké Hernandez Statement