Los Angeles Dodgers utility man Kiké Hernandez is set to leave the Dodgers’ spring training camp and join Team Puerto Rico for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Hernandez will not play in the tournament as he is recovering from elbow surgery, but joined the team in dyeing his hair blonde and will stay with the team throughout the tournament.
Hernandez played through his injury for a majority of the 2025 season, and underwent surgery towards the beginning of the offseason. He doesn’t have a concrete timeline, but will likely miss the first couple of months of the 2026 regular season.
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Puerto Rico will host Pool A in the coming tournament, and will play against Canada, Colombia, Cuba and Panama as they aim for the knockout stages.
Hernandez isn’t the only player from Puerto Rico to miss out on this year’s WBC, though, as All-Stars Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa and Javier Baez are also set to miss the tournament due to issues with their insurance.
Mar 15, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Puerto Rico center fielder Enrique Hernandez (5) hits an RBI single during the third inning against Dominican Republic at LoanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
What Does Kiké Hernandez Offer to Team Puerto Rico?
Hernandez would have brought a decent utility glove and serviceable bat to a team without some of its biggest stars, and could have played in any of several positions during the tournament.
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Other than pitcher, Hernandez played five different positions last season, and featured in 92 games for the World Series champions.
He hit 10 home runs and drove in 35 runs, slashing .203/.255/.366 throughout the season for the Dodgers, ending the season with an OPS+ of 72.
On top of his on-field accomplishments, Hernandez is clearly a great presence to have in the locker room, and Team Puerto Rico will be glad just to have him around in the coming tournament.
Before the WBC starts, though, Team Puerto Rico have two exhibition games against MLB teams. The first of the two comes Tuesday at 3:05 p.m. PT against the Boston Red Sox, and the second comes Tuesday against the Minnesota Twins at 10:05 a.m. PT.
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Their first game of the World Baseball Classic comes Friday at 3:00 p.m. PT against Colombia.
Will you be rooting for Puerto Rico at the WBC?