Hernández helps make Buehler’s first Dodger start a memorable one

Rowan Kavner
Dodger Insider
Published in
4 min readApr 24, 2018

by Rowan Kavner

As all eyes fixated on the 175-pound, flamethrowing phenom taking the mound for his first Major League start, Walker Buehler’s teammate making dazzling plays behind him took center stage.

Kiké Hernández watched in awe from shortstop as Buehler fired 19 pitches that registered faster than 98 mph, but he also did plenty to ensure Buehler’s first start was a memorable one in a 2–1 Dodger win Monday.

While some may take Hernández’s flexibility and adaptability for granted, manager Dave Roberts said the Dodgers aren’t among them.

“It’s a huge value for us, the versatility and what he can do on a baseball field,” Roberts said. “He’s certainly valued. I know myself, I try to figure out ways to get him in every single night, because he just has a way to impact the game.”

Hernández entered the night having already played six different positions this year, but with Corey Seager getting a night to rest, this was just Hernández’s second start of the year at shortstop. He didn’t miss a beat.

Buehler worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning of his 2018 debut. The second inning could’ve spelled trouble, except with two outs and a man on first, Hernández ranged toward a grounder up the middle to make the play, spin and fire to first for the final out of the inning.

That was only the prequel.

An inning later, Hernández cranked the degree of difficulty up a couple notches, this time ranging all the way to the other side of the bag at second base to spin and make the play without having any time to look toward first base before throwing.

“Made two good plays,” Hernández said. “That first one was kind of one of those sliding plays, but kind of a routine sliding play. That second one, don’t ask me how I made it, because I have no idea. I threw the ball, didn’t even know where I threw it and just heard the crowd.”

Wherever he’s playing, he said he takes pride in his defense. But he enjoys playing shortstop and second base the most, and it showed Monday night, helping Buehler get through five scoreless innings in his debut.

Buehler quipped that he doesn’t see those types of plays often in Low-A ball.

“I was lucky to have them behind me tonight,” Buehler said.

The top prospect said he didn’t think any of the pitches in his arsenal were “really, really good” Friday. The fact that he felt that way while still tossing five scoreless innings speaks to his potential.

“In a situation like this, it’d be great to go and dominate,” Buehler said. “But to put up zeroes and to come out of the game unscathed is the biggest thing. The more and more comfortable you get here, I think the fastball command will come.”

Roberts liked the way Buehler competed. While the 23-year-old’s fastball command wasn’t particularly crisp, with only 55 of his 89 pitches firing in for strikes, he always managed to work around traffic.

Buehler didn’t panic when the bases were loaded, getting a 99-mph strikeout to end the first inning before striking out another two to start the second. Buehler said he hadn’t thrown 89 pitches since the College World Series, but he didn’t seem taxed by the increased workload, and in fact seemed to get more comfortable as the night progressed.

While the fastballs will get the attention, it was his mix of pitches that allowed him to work through five, while allowing four hits and three walks with five strikeouts. When he felt he was yanking his four-seam fastball, he mixed in more two-seams. He even got a strikeout on a change-up, a pitch he hasn’t often relied on with the slider and breaking ball he already has.

“You see the heartbeat, and there’s no panic,” Roberts said. “He just steps up and makes pitches when he need to, and also you’ve got to compliment Kiké on some of the defensive plays he made tonight that picked our ball club up, picked Walker up. Just really did a lot of nice things.”

For Hernández, defense turned to offense.

With Miami starter Jarlin Garcia throwing a no-hitter through three innings, it was Hernández breaking it up with a home run in the fourth inning.

He finished the night 3-for-4, recording half of the Dodgers’ hits and moving to 7-for-10 from the plate his last five games. In that span, he raised his batting average from .190 to .275.

Even his bunt in the eighth inning went down for a hit, helping get Chris Taylor to third base and eventually home on a sacrifice fly from Cody Bellinger that would turn out to be the game-winning run.

“Walker threw well, but I think tonight was Kike’s night,” Roberts said.

Hernández’s performance wasn’t enough to get Buehler his first career win, as the Marlins tied the game off the Dodger bullpen in the eighth inning. But it was enough to get the Dodgers their seventh victory in their last eight games.

Seeing the kind of stuff Buehler had up close, Hernández has little doubt that first win for Buehler will come soon enough.

“It was pretty fun to watch that, playing behind him,” Hernández said. “He’s got a special talent. Hopefully, we get to see that for a very, very long time.”

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Published in Dodger Insider

It's time for everything to do with Dodger baseball.

Written by Rowan Kavner

Editor, Digital & Print Publications for the Los Angeles Dodgers | Twitter: @RowanKavner

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