Kiké Hernández 'little Bit Shocked' By Reception In Albuquerque While On Rehab Assignment

All Kiké Hernández knew astir Albuquerque — nan location of nan Triple-A Isotopes — was nan city’s elevation. But nan metropolis knew him.

For years, nan city’s shot fans grew up watching nan Dukes, nan erstwhile longtime Dodgers affiliate. So erstwhile Hernández arrived pinch nan Oklahoma City Comets to proceed his rehab duty connected Tuesday, nan opposing fans greeted him pinch a thunderous ovation.

The Dodgers’ recovering utilityman struggled to encapsulate his feelings astir nan reception.

“A small spot shocked. Slightly embarrassed, but good,” he told reporters, including Geoff Grammer of nan Albuquerque Journal, earlier nan Comets’ 8-2 nonaccomplishment connected Wednesday.

The fans’ positivity offset nan emotionally reliable roadworthy backmost from near elbow room to hole a tear successful Hernández’s tendon. Before this year, nan utilityman, who agreed to a one-year, $4.5-million woody pinch nan Dodgers successful February, ne'er missed outpouring training aliases opening time successful his career.

Hernández, who is eligible to return from nan 60-day injured database May 24, is 2 for 15 pinch a double successful 5 games pinch nan Comets.

“I knew it was going to beryllium a agelong rehab,” he said. “And moreover though I’m up of schedule, it still feels for illustration it’s forever.”

The 34-year-old now finds himself astatine a crossroads. Although he remains locked onto each transportation he tin perchance watch from nan Dodgers, he besides wants to mentor nan players successful Oklahoma City.

The paternal small heart comes people for Hernández, who has taken nan clip disconnected to bask his woman and his 2 children, including his boy who was calved successful February.

“We’re not conscionable shot players,” he said. “So being capable to thief my woman out, and walk clip pinch nan babe and pinch my daughter, it’s been huge, and that’s kept my mind busy.”

At nan extremity of nan day, though, Hernández wants to beryllium healthy, preferably successful Los Angeles.

With nan Dodgers past season, he deed .203, pinch 10 homers crossed 92 games — though nan squad values him much for what he tin do successful nan postseason. His profession numbers successful nan playoffs see a .272 batting mean pinch a .486 slugging percent and an .826 on-base positive slugging percentage.

“I conscionable want to consciousness good,” he said. “Last twelvemonth was miserable, you know? Not only capacity wise, but I was conscionable successful a batch of symptom each clip I took nan field. So I’m conscionable happy that I’m symptom free correct now.”