Los Angeles Dodgers utility player Kike Hernandez is nursing himself back to health after elbow surgery, but he has to balance that out with Puerto Rico being in the World Baseball Classic.
Hernandez is extremely disappointed that he needed to have surgery over the offseason, as it took him out of the running for the WBC.
Puerto Rico hosted pool play for their group this year, and Hernandez really wanted to play in front of the Team Rubio fans, but he had to settle for being a clubhouse cheerleader and helping out a young roster.
“It’s a moment that I’ll never forget,” Hernández said. “I’m still bummed that I don’t get to be a part of it, but I still support my people.”
Oct 23, 2025; Toronto, ON, Canada; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Kike Hernandez (8) speaks to the media during media day and team workouts at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Hernandez joined Puerto Rico for the first two games before reporting back to Dodgers camp in Arizona and continuing his recovery.
According to him, the recovery has gone well enough that he can join PR for their game against Italy on Saturday in Texas.
While Italy is the favorite, Hernandez is not counting Puerto Rico out, especially after their eletric walk off win against Panama.
“The guys that are on the roster are the guys that have to get the job done,” Hernández said.
“They did enough to advance to the quarterfinals. … Obviously, you’re playing one game where anything can happen. Anything can happen. The only thing that wins on paper is Vegas.”
What if Puerto Rico reaches the WBC semi-finals?
Hernandez had to get permission from the president of baseball operations, Andrew Friedman, to join Puerto Rico for the quarter-finals, but if they make it to the semi-finals in Miami, Florida, he will need to make an additional request.
The odds of Friedman accepting seem to depend on the amount of progress Hernandez makes, according to The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya.
“The 34-year-old is still trying to work his way back onto the field. Hernández said he’s ‘starting to move along really rapidly’ with his rehab from offseason surgery, saying one of the factors in potentially joining Puerto Rico in Miami is that he is nearing a box to check off on his rehab plan by taking batting practice,” Ardaya wrote.
Considering the Dodgers’ depth, they have the luxury of giving Hernandez time to support his home country and his brothers on the Puerto Rico roster, but they also seem to need to see tangible progress before accepting his request, if the team actually makes it that far.
LA Baseball Report
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