After an 8-0 start to the season, the Los Angeles Dodgers looked unstoppable. They wound up losing four of their next five, dropping to 9-4. A three-game losing streak from April 22-25 put them at 16-10, but they turned things around by winning four in a row to improve to 20-10.
Most recently, the Dodgers absolutely crushed the Miami Marlins, 15-2. The payroll difference between those two teams is greater than $400 million, one of baseball’s biggest problems. Miami took Los Angeles to their limit in game one, losing 7-6 in ten innings. The Dodgers responded with an emphatic statement on April 29 in a game that saw Kiké Hernandez take the mound.
Blake Snell Hyped up Kiké Hernandez
Snell finds himself on the 15-day IL and might not return anytime soon, but the 32-year-old left-handed pitcher will always be there to support his team. In his first year with the Dodgers, Snell has dealt with two different injuries that have led to him pitching in just two games this season. Regardless of Snell’s pitching this season, he was a fan of Hernandez’s work: “What a form!!”
At an astonishing 52 mph, Hernandez did everything he could to keep the score 15-2 in the Dodgers’ blowout of the Marlins. While he didn’t finish the game with any strikeouts, Hernandez gave up just two hits in his return to the bump. The 33-year-old threw 14 total pitches, with eight of them landing for strikes.
His slowest pitch registered at just 37 mph but was good enough to record an out. The inning saw a groundout, two singles, followed by another groundout and a foul out to end the game. Hernandez began to sweat a little bit as the second groundout moved the runners to second and third, but a 50-mph fastball got the job done.
One of the most intriguing parts of Hernandez’s pitching appearance was the batting helmet he was wearing. It never hurts to have a little extra protection, and the Dodgers announcers commented that he’s been wearing that helmet since his time at Camelback Ranch for spring training. MLB fans love to take in a moment where a position player pitches, as you never know what to expect, and Hernandez gave fans a look they won’t be forgetting anytime soon.
In his career, Hernandez has thrown 5.2 innings. He pitched in four and a third innings last season, giving up two earned runs on five hits. That 2024 campaign had a 4.15 ERA, but an inflated 81.00 ERA in 2018 puts his career mark at 7.94. All five of the runs Hernandez has given up in his career have been earned, and the San Juan native has yet to record a strikeout. On the other side of the ball, he’s hitting just .169 this season. Five of his ten hits in 2025 are home runs, contributing to his 11 RBIs as he begins to approach 500 career RBIs.
