Dodgers’ Kiké Hernandez Unleashes Record 94-mph Delivery From Outfield

Maren Angus-Coombs | Sep 17, 2024

Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers put on a show Monday night against the Atlanta Braves. For the first few innings, defense was in the spotlight.

Starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto held the Braves scoreless through the first four innings of a 9-0 win and the one time he needed help, his defense made history.

After Michael Harris II led off with a single, Jorge Soler doubled to deep center, prompting Harris to attempt to score from first. However, Kiké Hernández, from second base, made a perfect tumbling relay throw to the plate, executing half a front flip to nail Harris and shift the momentum.

According to Sarah Langs of MLB.com, the 93.6-mph throw was the Dodgers’ fastest-tracked assist as an infielder under Statcast (2015).

93.6 mph here from Enrique Hernández!

that’s the Dodgers’ fastest-tracked assist as an infielder under Statcast (2015) https://t.co/7anY8z51z3

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) September 17, 2024

“The throw was unbelievable,” manager Dave Roberts told reporters in Atlanta. “That’s a hard throw. That’s a hard play.”

At the plate, the Dodgers were efficient, scoring nine runs on just four hits, drawing seven walks, and going three for seven with runners in scoring position.

“As far as fundamentally, Tommy’s got to hit the first guy, number one. But Kiké picked us up,” Roberts said after the game. “It was to the wrong side of the body, but he made an athletic play and made a great throw, which really flipped the momentum of the game right there.”

Miguel Rojas got the offense going scoring after a leadoff walk in the third. He avoided a double-play at second base, stole third, and then got a good jump on a wild pitch from Braves starter Max Fried to race home.

Tommy Edman and Rojas each scored in the fifth inning after leading off with a double and a single, respectively.

In the seventh, the Dodgers put up six runs against Atlanta’s bullpen, relying on small ball until Freddie Freeman sealed it with a three-run homer over the short wall down the left-field line.

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“That was big,” Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman said after the game. “When you start off a four-game set in a series like this toward the end of the year and you want to play well, to lose the first two and especially the second one in that fashion, to come back and respond these last two games, I thought that was big by our team.”

A fully healthy lineup and unpredictable pitching staff tend to draw the most attention toward the Dodgers these days. But their defense has been steadily good if not great — or, in the case of Monday's game, historic.