"My superpower is my Kryptonite" - Kike Hernandez reveals source of his Shohei Ohtani-level postseason performances to Mookie Betts
Former Los Angeles Dodgers utility player Kike Hernandez revealed that the source of his Shohei Ohtani-level postseason performances is his unique brain. The 33-year-old, who is currently a free agent, played a crucial part in the Dodgers' postseason run to the World Series with some big performances from home plate.
Speaking on an episode of "On Base with Mookie Betts" released on Tuesday, Hernandez was asked by Betts, who gave Hernandez the name "Kike Ohtani," the reason behind his increased output in the postseason compared to the regular season. He replied: (Start at 20:34)
"My brain. I think my superpower is also my kryptonite, that's called ADHD."
"During the season, my brain is just everywhere and postseason, it just brings out like hyper focus. I just go into compete mode."
Kike Hernandez was originally selected by the Houston Astros in the 2009 MLB Draft and went on to make his major league debut with them in 2014. He was then traded to the Miami Marlins before eventually joining the Los Angeles Dodgers for six years, where he won his first World Series title. He went on to have a brief spell with the Boston Red Sox before returning to the Dodgers in 2023.
While he may not have the same star power as some of his teammates, Kike Hernandez was indispensable for the Dodgers in the postseason. With a .294 average, two home runs, and six RBI in this year's playoffs, he lived up to his reputation as a postseason player.
During the Dodgers' postseason run, Hernandez became just the 20th player in MLB history with 15 career playoff home runs, and it took him the second-fewest at-bats to reach the mark, per CBS Sports.
Kike Hernandez removes Dodgers logo from social media profile to kickstart free agency speculation
Just days after winning the World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers, utility player Kike Hernandez became a free agent and his future is very much uncertain. Soon after, the veteran removed the Dodgers logo from his social media profile and replaced it with a question mark.
While he has made it clear that his desire is to return to the Dodgers and challenge for another chamionship next year, it remains to be seen where Hernandez will land. The LA side is now looking to bolster their pitching and only time will tell if they chose to re-sign their postseason star.