McKain Says Dodgers Should Let Hernández Walk
A Dodgers Nation podcast host argues the club should move on from the 35-year-old utility player as he hits free agency again.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Baseball
Doug McKain argued on a Dodgers Nation video podcast that Los Angeles should let Kiké Hernández leave in free agency after the team was swept in the National League Championship Series. Hernández has said he hopes to return to the Dodgers after the 2026 postseason.
Why it matters
The Dodgers were eliminated in four games by the Milwaukee Brewers, and nine players are headed to free agency, making Hernández's future one of several roster decisions. McKain's case centers on the franchise having re-signed or traded for Hernández five times since 2014.
Hernández posted a .706 regular-season OPS and a .826 postseason OPS, and he played 41 games in 2026 after left elbow surgery and a left oblique tear. His 17th postseason home run came in Game 3 of the NLDS, but he finished the 2026 postseason 1-for-14, and his future with the club remains unresolved.
The players
Kiké Hernández
Hernández is a veteran Dodgers utility player who has spent more than a decade with the franchise and is a free agent for the fourth consecutive offseason.
Doug McKain
McKain is a Dodgers Nation podcast host who argued on video that the club should let Hernández leave in free agency.
The details
McKain made the case on a Dodgers Nation video podcast, comparing Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman to Andy from Toy Story 3 and Hernández to Woody. McKain said the franchise should move on now rather than sign Hernández again.
Timeline
2014: The Dodgers began re-signing or trading for Hernández.
November 2025: Hernández underwent left elbow surgery.
February 2026: Hernández signed his last two deals.
May 25, 2026: Hernández made his 2026 debut.
July 28, 2026: Hernández was activated from the injured list.
Roadmap
The Dodgers have re-signed or traded for Kiké Hernández five times since 2014, and McKain's argument frames the current free agency as a point to break that pattern. The club's sweep by the Brewers in the National League Championship Series adds pressure to a roster decision that comes as nine players head to the market.
The Dodgers' decision on Hernández affects their roster construction for 2027 and whether a player with his injury history stays on the active list. Fans tracking the club's free-agent moves will see how the front office handles one of nine departing players.
The takeaway
The Hernández decision shows how the Dodgers weigh a long-serving veteran's postseason production against his regular-season output and health. Whatever the front office decides, it will be measured against the franchise's repeated returns to the same player.
What happens next
The collective bargaining agreement expires December 1, which may freeze the free-agent market during the winter.
Further reading
For more on the team, see Los Angeles Baseball coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Sportskeeda.
