Enrique Hernández (baseball)

3.1. Houston Astros

The Houston Astros selected Enrique Hernández in the sixth round of the 2009 Major League Baseball draft. Upon signing with the Astros, he received a bonus of 150.00 K USD. In his initial years in the minor leagues, Hernández primarily played second base and third base in 2009, before transitioning to exclusively playing second base in 2010.

Hernández received his first call-up to the major leagues on July 1, 2014. He made his MLB debut on the same day against the Seattle Mariners, entering the game in the seventh inning as a defensive replacement. In his first at-bat, he hit a ground-rule double off Dominic Leone of the Mariners, marking his first major league hit. The following day, he hit his first career home run off Chris Young, also of the Mariners. During his time with the Astros in 2014, he played in 24 games. His batting statistics for this period were a batting average of .284, an on-base percentage of .348, and a slugging percentage of .420. He scored 10 runs, collected 23 hits, including 4 doubles, 2 triples, and 1 home run, and recorded 8 RBI. He had 8 walks and 11 strikeouts.

3.2. Miami Marlins

On July 31, 2014, the Houston Astros traded Enrique Hernández along with Jarred Cosart and Austin Wates to the Miami Marlins. In return, the Astros received Jake Marisnick, Colin Moran, Francis Martes, and a compensatory draft pick.

While playing for the Marlins on September 26, 2014, Hernández hit his first career grand slam in the major leagues off Craig Stammen of the Washington Nationals in the ninth inning. Overall, Hernández appeared in 18 games for the Marlins. His batting line was .175/.267/.425, with 7 hits in 40 at-bats. He scored 3 runs, recorded 2 doubles, 1 triple, and 2 home runs, and drove in 6 runs. He had 4 walks, 1 hit by pitch, and 10 strikeouts, while grounding into 1 double play.

His combined statistics for the 2014 season across both the Houston Astros and Miami Marlins reflect his rookie year performance:

3.3. Los Angeles Dodgers (first stint)

On December 10, 2014, Hernández was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of a multi-player deal. He, along with Chris Hatcher, Austin Barnes, and Andrew Heaney, was sent to the Dodgers in exchange for Dan Haren, Dee Gordon, Miguel Rojas, and cash considerations. Initially assigned to the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers, he was recalled by the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 28, 2015.

During his first tenure with the Dodgers, Hernández became known for his exceptional versatility, playing across almost every position on the field. In 2015, he played 20 games at second base, 19 in center field, 17 in left field, 16 at shortstop, 2 in right field, and 1 at third base. He saw significant time as a primary starting center fielder in August, replacing a struggling Joc Pederson, though he missed much of September due to a hamstring strain. In 76 games that season, he batted .307/.346/.490 with 7 home runs and 22 RBI. Notably, in 2015, he led all MLB hitters (with 60 or more plate appearances) in batting average against left-handed pitchers, hitting .423. During this period, he also became known for his sense of humor, including wearing a banana suit in the dugout when not playing.

In 2016, his performance saw a dip, as he hit only .190/.283/.324 with 7 homers and 18 RBI in 109 games. He was left off the playoff roster for the first round and recorded no hits in eight at-bats during the 2016 National League Championship Series.

By 2017, Hernández continued to display his utility, batting .215/.308/.421 in 297 at-bats, with 11 home runs and 37 RBI. He played at least one inning at every position except pitcher and catcher that season. In the 2017 National League Division Series, he had a double in three at-bats. His most impactful performance came in Game 5 of the 2017 National League Championship Series, where he hit three home runs, including a grand slam, and drove in seven runs. This extraordinary feat tied the record for most RBI in a postseason game, significantly contributing to the Dodgers' advancement to the 2017 World Series, their first appearance since 1988. In the World Series, which the Dodgers eventually lost to the Houston Astros in seven games, Hernández managed three hits in 13 at-bats (.231 average).

Before the 2018 season, Hernández, eligible for salary arbitration, signed a one-year, 1.60 M USD contract. On July 25, 2018, he made his first career pitching appearance, entering in the 16th inning against the Philadelphia Phillies. He took the loss after walking two batters and giving up a three-run walk-off home run, becoming the first position player since Babe Ruth to play in the infield, outfield, and give up three or more runs in the same game, and the first position player ever to give up a walk-off home run. For the 2018 season, he batted .256/.336/.470, hitting a career-high 21 home runs and 52 RBI. In the 2018 postseason, he had two hits in 12 at-bats in the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves, one hit in 14 at-bats in the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers, and two hits (including one home run) in 15 at-bats in the 2018 World Series against the Boston Red Sox.

On April 19, 2019, Hernández became the first player to hit a home run off Josh Hader when the count was 0-2. Hader had previously held 82 batters who went up 0-2 against him to a .049 batting average. On August 22, 2019, Hernández hit his first career walk-off hit, securing a 3-2 victory for the Dodgers against the Toronto Blue Jays. He concluded the 2019 season with a batting line of .237/.304/.411, 17 home runs, and a career-high 62 RBI.

Prior to the 2020 season, Hernández avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, 5.90 M USD contract with the Dodgers. On July 23, 2020, Opening Day, he drove in five runs in an 8-1 win against the San Francisco Giants. In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he played in 48 games, hitting .230/.270/.410 with 5 home runs and 20 RBI. He was hitless in five at-bats in the NLDS. In Game 7 of the 2020 National League Championship Series, Hernández hit a game-tying solo home run in the sixth inning, becoming the first player to pinch-hit a game-tying or go-ahead home run in a winner-take-all postseason game. He had four hits (including two home run) in 14 at-bats during the series. In the 2020 World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays, Hernández recorded two hits in 10 at-bats as the Dodgers clinched the championship, marking his first World Series title. Hernández was the last Dodger to wear number 14 before it was retired in honor of Gil Hodges on June 4, 2022.

3.4. Boston Red Sox

On February 2, 2021, Enrique Hernández signed a two-year, 14.00 M USD contract with the Boston Red Sox. He began his tenure as the Red Sox's primary center fielder, while also seeing time at second base. He was placed on the 10-day injured list on May 7 due to a right hamstring strain. On May 17, while on a rehabilitation assignment with the Worcester Red Sox, he hit two home runs, including the first grand slam in the team's history. He returned to Boston's lineup the following day. Hernández was named the AL Player of the Week for his performance between July 19-25, during which he batted .400 with nine RBI. He also missed several games from late August into early September due to being on the COVID-19 related injured list. Overall, in the 2021 regular season, Hernández played in 134 games for Boston, batting .250 with 20 home run and 60 RBI.

In the 2021 postseason, he had an outstanding performance, batting .408 (20-for-49) in 11 games. On October 11, he hit a sacrifice fly in Game 4 of the ALDS that sent the Red Sox to the American League Championship Series. Over the final three games of the Division Series and the first two games of the League Championship Series, Hernández set a new MLB record for the most total bases in a five-game playoff span, with 34, also establishing a new Red Sox franchise record for total bases in any five-game span.

Hernández was the Red Sox's starting center fielder for Opening Day in 2022. He briefly appeared on the COVID-related injured list on May 6. On June 8, he was placed on the 10-day injured list due to a right hip flexor strain, and on July 23, he was transferred to the 60-day injured list. He rejoined the team on August 16. On September 6, the Red Sox announced that Hernández had signed a one-year, 10.00 M USD contract extension for the 2023 season. For the 2022 season, he played in 93 games for Boston, batting .222 with 6 home run and 45 RBI.

Prior to the 2023 season, following the departure of longtime shortstop Xander Bogaerts, Hernández emerged as a key leader in the Red Sox clubhouse. He was actively involved in recruiting former Dodgers teammates Justin Turner and Kenley Jansen to Boston. With Bogaerts' departure and an injury to Trevor Story, Hernández was named the Red Sox's starting shortstop for Opening Day. However, after starting 46 games at the position, manager Alex Cora announced a positional change due to Hernández leading the majors with 14 errors at shortstop. Despite this, multiple injuries to other players soon led to Hernández being moved back to shortstop, as well as making some starts at second base. In 2023, he played in 86 games for the Red Sox, batting .222 with 6 home run and 31 RBI.

3.5. Los Angeles Dodgers (second stint)

On July 25, 2023, the Red Sox traded Enrique Hernández back to the Dodgers in exchange for Nick Robertson and Justin Hagenman. Upon his return, Hernández wore the number 8, as his previous number 14 had been retired by the Dodgers in honor of Gil Hodges during his absence. In 54 games with the Dodgers for the remainder of 2023, he hit .262 with 5 home run and 30 RBI. In the NLDS, he collected three hits in eight at-bats.

Following the 2023 season, Hernández became a free agent, but he re-signed with the Dodgers on February 26, 2024, on a one-year, 4.00 M USD contract. In 2024, he played in 126 games, continuing his role as a utility player and appearing at every position except catcher and right field. He spent most of his time at third base while Max Muncy was on the injured list. He finished the season batting .229 with 12 home run and 52 RBI.

In the 2024 postseason, Hernández recorded three hits, including a home run, in nine at-bats in the NLDS. In the NLCS, he had seven hits, one home run, four RBI, and three walks in 24 at-bats. In the 2024 World Series, he registered five hits in 18 at-bats. In the clinching Game 5, Hernández led off the fifth inning with a hit off Gerrit Cole (Cole's first hit allowed in the game) and then successfully beat out throws at second and third base during the inning, scoring a crucial run on an infield hit that set the stage for the Dodgers' five-run comeback in that inning. Later, in the eighth inning, he again singled to lead off the inning and scored on a sacrifice fly to tie the game, which the Dodgers eventually won to secure his second World Series championship.

On February 11, 2025, Hernández re-signed with the Dodgers for one year, valued at 6.50 M USD.