Dodgers’ Kiké Hernández Credits Recent Success to One Key Insight

A new pair of glasses has Kiké Hernández playing like himself again this season.

The Los Angeles Dodgers utility player was recently diagnosed with an astigmatism in his right eye, which can result in blurred vision.

Hernández, who was struggling earlier in the year while facing pitchers, decided to get his vision tested after a conversation with MLB catcher and friend Martín Maldonado, according to Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times.

“He told me that him and a couple of his teammates needed glasses, and they didn’t really know through the spring training test,” Hernández said, via Harris.

Following the test, Hernández received his new diagnosis and has begun wearing glasses during games for the first time in his career.

“It’s funny because he wasn’t seeing spin, and we were trying to figure out what it was,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, via Harris. “So once he put the glasses on, he’s seeing it a lot better, and it actually coincides with him, in my opinion, swinging the bat better, controlling the strike zone and making better swing decisions.”

The new glasses have made a huge difference. Hernández was hitting sub-.200 in March, May, and July, and struggled throughout much of the season as a hitter. Just in July, Hernández was slashing .167/.231/.300 with two home runs and seven RBIs. Through the first part of August, Hernández is slashing .333/.405/.545 with 11 hits, six runs, one home run, and seven RBIs, his first time hitting above .300 all season.

Hernández began wearing his glasses right before the All-Star break in July, but took some time to adjust. One month later, the results are palpable. Overall this season, Hernández is slashing .214/.284/.338 with seven home runs and 26 home runs in 91 games. His numbers should continue to rise through the end of the season with his improved vision.

With the injury to Max Muncy, who remains on the injured list with an oblique injury, Hernández has been relied on to fill in for him at third base. This has given Hernández regular at-bats and time on the field, which made his vision issues even more critical for his play on the field.

Photo Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Have you subscribed to our YouTube Channel yet? Subscribe and hit that notification bell to stay up to date on all the latest Dodgers news, rumors, interviews, live streams, and more!