The Los Angeles Dodgers activated Enrique Hernández from the 60-day IL on Monday, getting their valuable utility player back for the first time this season after offseason surgery on his left elbow. The elbow issue kept him out of the lineup for seven weeks and limited him to 92 games.
Hernández finished a three-week minor-league rehab assignment to prepare for his return. In 12 games with Triple-A Oklahoma City, he compiled a .214/.298/.310 slash average while mostly playing third base and seeing some time in the outfield.
A vintage Kiké Hernández play at the hot corner! pic.twitter.com/BXspn1Rcdm
— Oklahoma City Comets (@OKC_comets) May 24, 2026
Perhaps more importantly, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts feels Hernández brings energy to the lineup that the team needs.
“There’s a different energy with Kiké,” Roberts said on Saturday. “I’m looking forward to having that edge. He should be available for [Sunday].”
“There’s a different energy with Kiké… I’m looking forward to having that edge. He should be available for tomorrow.”
Dave Roberts speaks on the return of Kiké Hernández before the #Dodgers series finale in Milwaukee against the Brewers. pic.twitter.com/O7TBDm5eWb
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) May 24, 2026
Playing third base will be particularly useful for the Dodgers if Hernández has to fill in for Max Muncy at that position.
Muncy was hit on the right wrist by a 96 mph sinker from pitcher Aaron Ashby in the eighth inning of Friday’s 5-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. He left the game and imaging exams did not reveal a break. However, Muncy sat out Saturday and Sunday’s games, and is out of the lineup on Monday as well.
Max Muncy left tonight’s game after being hit by a pitch in the hand/wrist area pic.twitter.com/ivMwjZLoea
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 23, 2026
Muncy, 35, leads the Dodgers with 12 home runs while batting .258/.363/.515. However, he’s struggled in May with a .210/.347/.387 slash average, two doubles and three homers.
At third base, advanced metrics rate Muncy highly, crediting him with 6 Defensive Runs Saved and 5 Outs Above Average. He rates among the top five at the position in those categories.
With Hernández’s return, the Dodgers had a surplus of infielders. Hyeseong Kim or Santiago Espinal were the candidates to lose a spot on the roster if Muncy did not go on the injured list. Muncy was seen playing catch before Monday’s game by reporters, sporting a wrap on his wrist.
Kim has batted .214/.267/.268 in May with 17 strikeouts in 42 plate appearances, reverting to the poor strike zone judgment that the Dodgers thought he’d worked through in the minors before being called up. However, if Hernández has to play third base in Muncy’s absence, Kim will likely be at second base.
However, Espinal was ultimately an easy candidate to be designated for assignment despite being effective in a utility role without requiring much playing time. Appearing in 26 games for the Dodgers, he compiled a .220/.238/.366 slash average while playing at second and third base.