LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� The Los Angeles Dodgers have their self-described 鈥渃lown in the clubhouse鈥� back. Cue the levity, energy and intensity.
Utilityman made his season debut in a against the Colorado Rockies on Monday night. He went 2 for 2 with an RBI double down the third base line while batting ninth and starting at third base in place of in the series opener. He was lifted for a pinch hitter in the seventh, when the Dodgers rallied with four runs to pull out their 18th comeback win.
鈥淚t was good to have him back,鈥� manager Dave Roberts said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of emotion and adrenaline and anticipation. That鈥檚 probably the thing you got to guard against, but he did a good job managing those emotions.鈥�
Hern谩ndez, 34, missed the first 53 games of the season recovering from offseason elbow surgery.
鈥淚t鈥檚 fixed and I鈥檓 feeling pretty good right now,鈥� he said in the dugout before the game.
Hern谩ndez will see playing time at second and third base and possibly relieve an outfielder at times. He’ll also be available off the bench to pinch hit. Muncy is sidelined with a right wrist injury, but could return Wednesday.
Hern谩ndez had surgery to repair a torn muscle and torn extensor tendon in his left elbow during the offseason. The operation was done to fix an injury he originally suffered during the season and subsequently worsened.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a tough competitor, tough player,鈥� Roberts said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think anyone appreciated how severe the injury was.鈥�
Despite the tear, and helped the Dodgers win their . He appeared in all 17 playoff games, batting .250 with nine runs, one homer and seven RBIs. However, the extended play caused the tendon to detach from the bone, forcing him to undergo corrective surgery.
鈥淚t was a rough year,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he best description that I can put on it is every time I would get in my batting stance I would feel like I had a blowtorch on.鈥�
After the World Series, an MRI revealed a lot of swelling and Hern谩ndez was left with the option of either rehab or having surgery. Not knowing what choice to make, he left the final decision to his family and his agent.
They reminded him that he’d try to play through a core injury for three years and ended up blowing out the other side of his body, leading to multiple surgeries. They urged him to make another trip to the operating room with Dr. Neal ElAttrache.
鈥淚 woke up with ElAttrache telling me, 鈥楾his is the worst injury I鈥檝e ever seen of this kind and I don鈥檛 know how you played,鈥欌�� he said. 鈥淚 told him, 鈥楾hank you, I take it as a compliment.鈥欌��
In a post-surgery narcotic haze, Hern谩ndez FaceTimed with Andrew Friedman and urged ElAttrache to repeat to the president of baseball operations what he had just told his patient.
Before his phone was taken away, Hern谩ndez told Friedman: “I did this for you so you better bring me back.鈥�
Hern谩ndez signed a $4.5 million, one-year contract in February to return for his 10th season with the Dodgers.
Because of the surgery and his recovery timeline, Hern谩ndez missed the for his native Puerto Rico.
鈥淭hat hurt my soul a little more than I was in pain physically last year just because I鈥檝e been dreaming about playing in the WBC in Puerto Rico since I was 13 years old and it kind of felt like it got taken away from me,” he said. 鈥漎ou got to find a way to look at positives in life. I was like, it would have sucked a lot more if we鈥檇 lost the World Series and I still didn鈥檛 get to play in the WBC. It was a fair trade.”
Last October, Hern谩ndez became the franchise leader in postseason appearances with his 87th game. He ranks eighth all-time in major league history with 103 postseason games.
He’s the fourth player of Puerto Rican descent with 100-plus career postseason appearances, joining Jorge Posada (125), Bernie Williams (121) and Yadier Molina (104).
鈥淒oing that as a Latino is very important, especially in the city where there鈥檚 such a big Latino community and we鈥檙e living in some rough times,鈥� he said. 鈥淓specially in this city, the last two years there鈥檚 been a lot of weird things going on, so I take the responsibility to not only represent this organization but the Latino community, the Puerto Rican community. It鈥檚 something that鈥檚 very touching to my heart.鈥�
Starting the season on the IL was a blessing in disguise. Hern谩ndez was able to spend time with his son born in February and his daughter.
When he wasn’t waking up in pain anymore, he realized he could be back at the end of his IL stint.
鈥淚t didn鈥檛 feel like I had to rush, it didn鈥檛 feel like I was going to lose my spot,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat was very key.鈥�
He played in 12 rehab games with Triple-A Oklahoma City, batting .214 with two doubles and three RBIs.
鈥淚 had lot of fun with those guys,鈥� he said. 鈥淣ow I’m back with my guys here and I’m ready to go.鈥�
As the Dodgers chase a third consecutive World Series championship, Hern谩ndez will have his eye on his younger teammates when he’s not cracking everyone up.
鈥淚鈥檓 in charge of checking guys,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think guys know if I鈥檓 on them, and I鈥檓 tough on them, it means I care a lot about them.鈥�
To clear a spot for Hern谩ndez, utilityman Santiago Espinal was designated for assignment.
The 31-year-old former All-Star hit .220 with three doubles, one home run and four RBIs in 26 games for the Dodgers.
鈥淚’ll lob a call to him in the next couple days to thank him for everything he did for us,鈥� Roberts said. 鈥淗e was fantastic. Obviously, we had a tough decision to make. We were very forthright up front about the expectations. I think he respected that.鈥�
___
AP MLB:
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
