This article was generated by artificial intelligence and is automatically updated as news breaks. All credit belongs to the original reporters and their publications.

The Dodgers could be getting Kiké Hernández back sooner than initially expected. Per Dodger Blue, Hernández’s recovery timeline from his oblique strain has been moved up, with a possible return around the end of July. That’s encouraging news for a club that’s been running short on experienced position players for much of the season.

Hernández has had a rough 2026 from a health standpoint. He started the year on the injured list while recovering from left elbow surgery — an offseason procedure that delayed his spring training ramp-up. Once he finally got back on the field, he managed just two games before going down with the oblique strain that’s kept him sidelined since. It’s been a frustrating cycle for a player who’s always prided himself on availability and versatility.

Now 34, Hernández remains one of the most versatile defenders in baseball. He can play all three outfield spots and slide around the infield, which makes him uniquely valuable on a roster that’s been juggling injuries all year. His bat has never been his calling card — he’s more of a league-average hitter in most seasons — but his postseason track record speaks for itself. Dodgers fans remember the 2020 NLCS heroics, and he’s continued to be a reliable October contributor throughout his career. The switch-hitting utility gives Dave Roberts lineup flexibility that’s hard to replicate, especially when other regulars are banged up.

The timing here matters. The Dodgers have been without Will Smith, Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, and Edwin Díaz at various points this season, and they’ve still managed to hold the best record in baseball. That’s a testament to the roster depth Andrew Friedman has built. But depth gets tested the longer key players stay out, and getting Hernández back before the August stretch run would be a nice boost — essentially an internal addition without giving up any prospects.

I’d keep expectations measured here. Oblique injuries are tricky, and “around the end of July” is deliberately vague language. The Dodgers have been smart about not rushing guys back this year (and this one bears watching given Hernández already dealt with the elbow issue). But even a late-July return gives him a few weeks to find his legs before September, when the roster expands and the real push begins. Having his defensive versatility and postseason experience available down the stretch is exactly the kind of quiet reinforcement that wins divisions.

Source(s): Staff (Dodger Blue) | First reported: July 8, 2026 1:26 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers