Los Angeles Dodgers utility man Enrique Hernandez was reinstated from the 60-day injured list and will make his season debut Monday night against the Colorado Rockies.
Hernandez, who has recovered from left elbow surgery, will bat ninth and play third base.
Hernandez, 34, underwent surgery in November after missing two months of time during the 2025 season due to elbow issues. He signed a one-year contract worth $4.5 million in February to return to the Dodgers.
The surgery prevented Hernandez from playing for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic in March.
The timing of Hernandez’s arrival comes with third baseman Max Muncy dealing with right wrist pain after he was by a pitch from Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Aaron Ashby on Friday. Muncy is out of the lineup for the third straight day but did throw in the outfield prior to Monday’s game.
The Dodgers designated utility man Santiago Espinal for assignment to open a spot for Hernandez.
Espinal, 31, batted .220 with one homer and four RBIs in 26 games this season. The 2022 All-Star for Toronto had a .260 career average with 31 homers in 604 games with the Blue Jays (2020-23), Cincinnati Reds (2024-25) and Dodgers.
Hernandez batted .203 with 10 home runs and 35 RBIs in 92 games last season. In 12 major league seasons, nine of which have been with the Dodgers over two separate stints, Hernandez is a career .236 hitter with 130 home runs and 470 RBIs in 1,275 games.
What Hernandez is known for is clutch play in the postseason. He has bashed 16 homers with 42 RBIs in 103 career playoff games while helping the Dodgers win the World Series in 2020, 2024 and 2025.
Hernandez hit five homers in the 2021 postseason for the Boston Red Sox, who reached the American League Championship Series before falling to the Houston Astros.
