Step aside, Reggie Jackson; there’s a new contender for “Mr. October.”
Before the Dodgers’ World Series appearance in 2020, Kiké Hernández’s postseason achievements might have been dismissed as just a “hot streak.” But at this point, it’s obvious that postseason success is now woven into his identity.
In a pivotal moment during Game 3 of the NLDS, Hernández hit a two-run homer against Braves ace Chris Sale, helping secure a 3-1 victory for Los Angeles.
This marked the 17th postseason home run of Hernández’s career, placing him among the top 20 players in MLB history and just one behind the legend himself, Reggie Jackson.
Watch out, Reggie. Kiké is on a mission to take over your title.
Interestingly, this home run adds to a remarkable statistic: According to OptaStats, Hernández is the only player in MLB history with over 100 career homers—combining regular season and postseason—where at least 10 percent of those have come during the playoffs.
That’s pretty astounding for someone with a regular-season OPS of .706.
However, in the postseason, Hernández shines with an OPS of .826, seemingly transforming whenever the playoffs roll around.
He humorously attributes this to his love for Halloween, but he also acknowledges that his ADHD allows him to tap into a hyper-focused state during October, enhancing his performance.
“We needed a little bit of that Kiké dust,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts following the game.
And they certainly got what they needed in Game 3. Batting ninth and making his first start of the playoffs, Hernández made an immediate impact, taking charge on Sale’s second pitch of the fourth inning, turning the game around with just one swing. Sale later admitted it was a pitch he wished he could take back.
As a Dodger, Hernández has now hit 12 postseason homers, ranking him fourth in franchise history, just behind Corey Seager and Justin Turner.
If he manages to hit number 18 this October, he’ll tie Jackson’s record.
And if a 19th home run follows? Well, it might just spark a conversation about who rightfully holds the “Mr. October” nickname.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Andy Pages, Enrique Hernández, and Freddie Freeman celebrate after Hernández’s two-run homer during the fourth inning against the Atlanta Braves in the National League Division Series Game 3.
