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The Dodgers activated Kiké Hernández from the injured list on Tuesday, ending a stint that began May 27 when he went down with a left oblique strain, per Dodger Blue. Alex Freeland was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City as the corresponding move. Hernández told reporters he’s playing “all-out” with no mental blocks despite a rough stretch of injuries that has defined the last year-plus of his career.

Hernández, now in his 13th major league season, has been a Dodger lifer in spirit even when he wasn’t technically on the roster. He spent 2021–2023 with the Red Sox and Blue Jays before returning to Los Angeles, and his versatility has always been his calling card — he can play every position on the infield and outfield, and he’s done it at a high level defensively throughout his career. The oblique injury was particularly frustrating because it came on the heels of offseason surgery on his left elbow, meaning Hernández has essentially spent the first half of 2026 trying to get healthy rather than contributing on the field. For a player who prides himself on being available and playing with maximum effort, that’s a tough pill to swallow.

The “no mental blocks” comment is worth paying attention to. Players who stack injuries — especially soft tissue injuries like oblique strains on top of surgical recoveries — sometimes start protecting themselves unconsciously. They don’t swing as hard, they don’t stretch for balls in the field, they play at 90 percent without realizing it. Hernández is saying that’s not him. He’s going full speed. Given the kind of player he’s been throughout his career — a guy who throws his body around and plays with an edge — I believe him. That’s just who he is.

The Freeland option makes sense. He’s a young player who needs regular at-bats, and he wasn’t going to get them with Hernández healthy and the roster crunch that comes with a contending team in August. Freeland can continue developing in Oklahoma City without the pressure of a bench role where he might play twice a week.

For the Dodgers, getting Hernández back gives Dave Roberts a Swiss Army knife he’s been missing. With Shohei Ohtani dealing with knee soreness and Will Smith still working through his neck injury, having a veteran who can slot in at multiple positions and provide quality at-bats is genuinely valuable — not in a cliché way, but in a practical, everyday lineup-construction way. Hernández isn’t going to carry the offense, but he doesn’t need to. He needs to give us solid defense wherever he plays, put together competitive at-bats, and bring the energy he always brings. If the oblique holds up and the elbow stays quiet, he’s a real contributor down the stretch. And heading into what could be a wild August with the trade deadline looming, having another reliable body on the roster matters more than people think.

Source(s): Staff (Dodger Blue) | First reported: August 1, 2026 5:36 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers