Kiké Hernández just dropped the biggest bomb of the 2026 MLB playoffs, period. Game 3 of the National League Division Series was locked at zero in the top of the fourth, runner on first, nobody out, and then BAM! Hernández absolutely crushed a changeup from Braves ace Chris Sale. That two-run shot over the left field wall gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead, and dude, that’s all they needed for a 3-1 victory that puts them up 2-1 in the series. Talk about a clutch moment, right?
Roberts Knows The Kiké Dust Is Real
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was absolutely gushing about Hernández after the game, calling him a “big-time player.” Roberts said they needed “a little bit of that Kiké dust,” and you know what? He delivered. This guy is always prepared, he lives for these moments, and when the pressure is on, he locks in. Hernández didn’t just double up on a changeup and put a good swing on it, he also made a couple of really nice defensive plays. Having a guy like him in the lineup during the postseason just brings that extra urgency and grit every team needs. This wasn’t just *a* home run, it was his 12th postseason long ball in a Dodgers uniform. The man has played every position except catcher, even made 11 appearances on the mound! He’s in his second stint and 10th overall season with the Dodgers, from 2015-20 and then again from 2023-present. And get this: just two batters after Kiké went deep, Freddie Freeman launched a solo shot to right. What a sequence!
More Than Just One Big Hit: A Postseason Legend
On the mound, Yoshinobu Yamamoto was dealing, giving Los Angeles seven potent innings. He racked up 10 strikeouts and only gave up one run on five baserunners, four hits and one walk. Tanner Scott and Edwin Díaz came in after him and each delivered a scoreless inning of relief. So yeah, the pitching was lights out, but man, Hernández is the story. The 35-year-old, usually lauded for his defense and versatility, is basically a postseason hero for the Dodgers. Remember 2025? They were down 3-2 to the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series, trying to extend it. Kiké turned a game-ending double play in left field with the tying run in scoring position to force Game 7, which they ended up winning in 11 innings. Then there’s 2020, where he hit a game-tying home run in the bottom of the sixth against the Braves in NLCS Game 7, a game the Dodgers also won. And don’t forget 2024, when his solo homer against the Padres in Game 5 of the NLDS drove in one of the Dodgers’ two runs. Back in 2017, he blasted three home runs in a closeout Game 5 victory over the Chicago Cubs in the NLCS. Oh, and for good measure, he hit five homers in 11 postseason games for the Boston Red Sox in 2021. This dude can just mash in October. It’s wild considering he was limited to just 41 games in the 2026 regular season due to elbow and oblique injuries. He started Game 3 at third base, then slid over to left field. Overall, the Dodgers have only scored 10 runs in the NLDS, but they’ve held the Braves to seven.
Now, the Dodgers have a real chance to advance. They’re up 2-1 in the series, and with the way Kiké Hernández is playing, you gotta like their odds. Get ready, because the next game is going to be HUGE!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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