It’s not every day you see grown men acting like kids on Christmas morning, but Kike Hernandez’s return to the Dodgers brought that kind of unfiltered joy — Miguel Rojas is living proof. Forget sabermetrics and stat sheets; sometimes, it’s sheer vibe that wins games. Kike Hernandez isn’t just a utility player; he’s practically a mood-altering prescription for the entire clubhouse. And if you think chemistry is just for science labs, buckle up — the Dodgers are about to prove you wrong.

We all knew that Kike Hernandez was in the free agency market, and it was surprising to see that only two teams were pursuing him. But to give it to Kike Hernandez, both those teams were big teams. The 33-year-old was heavily linked with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees. And now that the signing is official, it seems like Miguel Rojas is more than ecstatic to have him back.

On his Instagram story, the 35-year-old wrote, “@kikehndez Mi hermano is back.” Quite a welcome back, right? But, why is his place essential in a club like Dodgers? Sit tight because Xavier Scruggs sheds light on the same.

He pointed out on the MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM, “The type of person he is as a fan favorite, as a clubhouse presence, as a leader, um, those are the types of things that you always want a part of championship teams. There’s no doubt about that. And I think if it was a different team, um, that maybe didn’t have necessarily the postseason opportunities, it may not be a spot for him. And you even look at this team is extremely stacked, right? But still found a way to bring back Kike Hernandez.”

The Los Angeles Dodgers made a tactical business decision to welcome Kike Hernández back for their 2025 roster. The player made his announcement through his social media, writing, “Walking through the open door,” along with a highlight video. And it seems only fair given his postseason run, where he posted a .294 batting average coupled with two homers and six runs batted in over his 14-game appearance while showing great clutch qualities.

If we glance at the intricacies of the contract, not much is known. But, as per The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya, a new contract is pending a physical for the outfielder, who had hit free agency this offseason after the expiration of his last one-year, $4 million deal with them.

And can we just take the liberty to say that it’s nice to see the Dodgers back at rehiring familiar faces? Previously, they hired Matt Kemp and Russell Martin back after they spent time in different franchises. The team’s strategy to reacquire its players enhances both bullpen power and establishes better relations with supporters through strong loyalty ties.

With the additions that the club is making to its bullpen, it is safe to assume that they are gearing up to leave no stone unturned this coming season. And their recent additions are more than suggestive of that.

A bullpen turnaround for the Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers are on the move as after a few days of signing the left-handed receiver Tanner Scott to a four-year deal, they decided to sign right-hander Kirby Yates for a year, with a $13 million contract. And to some degree, the contract signed is justified as well, given the 37-year-old posted some elite stats with Texas last year. He had a 1.17 ERA across 61 appearances as he made his second trip to the All-Star Game and All-MLB honors.

Speaking about this contact and showing optimism about carrying the same momentum forward, he said, “On paper, it’s probably as good as it can get, really. You can say that for the entire roster. … I think the more guys you can have down there that you can lean on in certain situations, the better it is for everybody. That kind of helps ease the load off certain guys.”

Prior to this signing, Scott’s deal was made official. The 30-year-old signed a $72 million contract, and this move by the reigning World Series champions will likely upgrade their pitching staff. According to Mark Feinsand, the deal is said to have a $20 million signing bonus and $21 million in deferred salary. However, the club has yet to provide any statement on the terms of the deal.

And let’s just say the relief pitcher is showing quite some enthusiasm to start with the Dodgers. He said, “It’s going to be a really exciting year. It’s a great group of guys, and they keep adding people. It’s awesome to see. I’m ready to be a part of it. Whenever the phone rings, I’m ready to go. I just want to win.”

With the Dodgers persistently putting their money into players who demonstrate their ability through existing performance records, they are setting an example of why they are the dominant force. Do you think they are on the right track? Let us know in the comments.