Red Sox free-agent signing Kiké Hernandez thrilled to be with Boston

Red Sox signing Kiké Hernandez had his introductory presser

As many of you know by now, the Boston Red Sox have signed super-utility player and former Dodger Kiké Hernandez to a two-year $14 million deal. There are no incentives to the deal as he will make $6 million in 2021 and $8 million in 2022.

The news that Hernandez would be joining Boston for the upcoming season originally broke about a week and a half ago but had yet to be officially announced until today. Boston was able to clear a 40-man roster spot in the wake of Dustin Pedroia’s retirement and the Red Sox announced the two-year deal this morning.

Hernandez spoke highly of Boston during his press conference today, noting that he was lucky to be jumping from one esteemed organization to another. His familiarity with numerous members of Boston’s organization at present almost certainly played a key role in his decision to jump ship, having known skipper Alex Cora since he was a 10-year-old in Puerto Rico.

"“I’ve known Alex since I was a kid, I’ve known Ramon [Vazquez] for as long as I’ve known Alex. I’ve had Tim Hyers with me in L.A…and I’ve played with Will [Venable],” he said."

When asked about what his playing days in Boston hold for him, he mentioned that he expects to primarily play second base, but does expect to see some time around the diamond.

"“I’m going to get some reps in center [field], probably a little of corner outfield, and I’m probably going to get Xander some days at short and maybe a little bit of third and first.”"

Long story short, Hernandez is most likely going to make an appearance at nearly every position at some point this season. The versatility is the factor in Hernandez’s value to Boston as an organization. Cora knows that on any given day, he has a player who can fill a vacancy at a position with little to no worry about how his glove will reflect in that role. Hernandez is already a proven asset in both the outfield and infield and is a trusted defender all over the field after showcasing his versatility in Los Angeles.

Hernandez was asked how good he thought the Red Sox were going to be this year to which he mentioned that after playing for a playoff team for six years, he had no intentions of signing with a mediocre team.

"“You look at this team on paper and when this team is healthy, they’re a pretty solid team. There is a lot of really really good baseball players, and I love the fact that people are counting the Red Sox out of there,” Hernandez said. “It keeps us quiet coming in and I think that this team has a lot of potential.”"

Hernandez went on to note that last year was clearly a little rough for the Red Sox but with the abundance of solid players on the roster, he believes 2020 was a fluke and Boston will bounce back to being a winning franchise in 2021.

Kiké acknowledged the fact that Boston’s fanbase has a very competitive edge with a constant expectation to win now. He appeared to embrace this mentality and sounded eager to compete with the rest of the competitive American League East. Hernandez noted that he feels confident in the current roster set to take the field this spring, but that the team will gain even more of a competitive edge once lefty Chris Sale returns from the Tommy John Surgery he underwent in March of last year.

Hernandez was asked how he felt about reuniting with former teammate Alex Verdugo, which sparked some excitement in his voice.

"“Dugie’s a hell of a player…probably the first player I texted when I reached an agreement,” he mentioned."

Hernandez went on to say how impactful Verdugo was in 2019 and felt that his absence from the lineup due to the back injury that loomed upon arrival in Boston last winter was what held the team back from taking the next step in the playoffs. Hernandez elaborated about the chemistry the once-again teammates share which gives fans something to look forward to this season.

Hernandez was asked if he felt that second base was his strongest position in the field, he responded by saying that he felt that was the case, but was unsure how he graded defensively. He noted that he was aware he had good defensive metrics in both center and left field but growing up a shortstop, he has natural instinct for the middle infield.

"“Playing the infield is a lot more fun for me than playing the outfield. Playing the outfield can get a little boring sometimes,” said Hernandez."

Hernandez went on to elaborate how his preference is to play in the middle infield as he enjoys being more involved in the action but did not shy away from manning any position that is asked of him. For most of the conversation, he backtracked to his desire to play second base noting that he felt that it was his best position defensively.

"“I have a pretty strong arm for a second baseman, so I can make some plays that guys with average arms cant make,” he said. “I pride myself on my defense everywhere, but if I had to say which one was my best, I would probably say second base.”"

Those statements alone seem to indicate that Hernandez is pretty adamant about where he would like to see the most of his time this season. With incumbent tandem Michael Chavis and Christian Arroyo originally slated at the keystone, it is very possible that Hernandez will indeed see his fair share of starts at second base. His reaffirmation in willingness to play wherever he asked to play is a good indication that he will present the Red Sox with solid versatility at multiple positions.

As for his attitude and connections to the coaching staff and players, it is evident that he will be a great addition to a clubhouse that festers off of positivity.