![\"Championship](\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_58,w_3000,h_1687\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images\/GettyImages\/mmsport\/75\/01jkvyq24eda7a3wepks.jpg\")
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It took the entire offseason, up until the start of spring training, but the Los Angeles Dodgers finally agreed to terms with beloved utility man Kik\u00e9 Hern\u00e1ndez on a one-year, $6.5 million contract for 2025.<\/p>\n
In a corresponding move, the Dodgers announced Tuesday that right-handed pitcher Gavin Stone had been placed on the 60-day Injured List.<\/p>\n
This cleared a space for Hern\u00e1ndez on Los Angeles’ 40-man roster without requiring another player to be designated for assignment.<\/p>\n
So, a fan favorite returns to the reigning World Series champions on a one-year deal, and an injured pitcher who underperformed expectations last season looks destined for a lengthy recovery and rehab process.<\/p>\n
That certainly worked out nicely. It’s almost as if it was planned that way all along.<\/p>\n
Dodgers, Kik\u00e9 Hernandez clearly had handshake agreement based on latest roster move<\/strong><\/p>\n Technically, the earliest Stone could possibly return from the 60-day IL is May 17; but he will almost certainly miss much more time than that.<\/p>\n The 26-year-old didn’t pitch for the Dodgers after Aug. 31 last season due to a right shoulder injury<\/p>\n . Said injury required surgery on Oct. 9 and is expected to sideline Stone for the entire 2025 season.<\/p>\n Hern\u00e1ndez hinted at his return with a hype video posted to social media on Feb. 9. Use of the 60-day injured list did not become available for the Dodgers until Feb. 10, the first day pitchers and catchers officially reported to spring training camp.<\/p>\n The team formally announced Hern\u00e1ndez’s signing and Stone’s move to the 60-day IL on Feb. 11. Coincidence? We think not.<\/p>\n The Dodgers knew they wouldn’t have Stone available to them back in October; they just couldn’t move him to the 60-day IL and clear a spot on the 40-man roster until this week.<\/p>\n It’s unclear how long it’s been in place \u2013 possibly since Stone’s surgery in October \u2013 but the Dodgers definitely had a handshake deal with Hern\u00e1ndez.<\/p>\n They made us sweat it out all offseason, but what’s done is done.<\/p>\n Kik\u00e9 is back in Dodger Blue, and all is right with the world. Let the quest for back-to-back World Series titles begin!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It took the entire offseason, up until the start of spring training, but the Los Angeles Dodgers finally agreed to terms with beloved utility man Kik\u00e9 Hern\u00e1ndez… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":33134,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33132","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\n