Dodgers News: Kiké Hernández Opens Up on Free Agency, Reveals Desires for Next Team

Valentina Martinez | 15 Hours Ago

Oct 11, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Enrique Hernandez against the Arizona Diamondbacks during game three of the NLDS for the 2023 MLB playoffs at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Dodgers brought back free agent reliever Blake Treinen, but the team has to make decisions on other free agents for next season. One free agent in particular is fan favorite Kiké Hernández.

Hernández opened up about his future in a recent episode of The Shop.

"I wish I knew. If this was happening a month later, I’d have a better idea," Hernández said when asked where he'll be playing next season. "Main priority for me would probably be coming back. I think this team, the Dodgers are very well positioned to make another run and be the first back to back team since the New York Yankees in ’99 and 2000. If not them, then somewhere where the team is positioned to go on a deep run in October, because I need to have October baseball. That’s part of who I am. I’m kind of addicted to playoff baseball and I need that in my life.”

There hasn't been much word on Hernández in free agency, but MLB Network's Jon Morosi gave the latest update on the market for the utility man in an interview with Dodgers Nation's Doug McKain.

“I haven’t heard a ton in the last 24 hours about where he might land,” Morosi said at the Winter Meetings. “I think part of that with the Dodgers, too, is they still have Chris Taylor, they just extended (Tommy) Edman, they still have Gavin Lux. I would say if they trade Lux, it creates s a clearer path for at-bats for Kiké on the the team at the moment.

“I still think it’s a really good for for Kiké with the Dodgers because you could tell how much the fans love him and vice versa,” Morosi said. B”ut I think that we have to wait and see a few things play out first with the Dodgers’ plans before saying that Kiké has a clear path there. There’s probably other teams, honestly, that have a greater need for him right now. The question, though, is would he actually want to go and sign somewhere else as long as the Dodger possibility is there?”

Hernández sparked a frenzy at the start of the offseason after he changed his profile picture on Instagram. Originally, Hernández’s profile picture was a headshot of himself with a Dodgers hat on. The Dodgers logo on the hat was then replaced with a question mark to signals Hernández's free agent status.

While Hernández has expressed a desire to return to Los Angeles, it's safe to assume the teams other moves this offseason will dictate whether or not Hernández is back next year.

Dodgers fans hope to the utility man returns, but it's unclear whether Hernández will be in Dodger blue by the spring.

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