Los Angeles Dodgers fan favorite Enrique “Kiké” Hernández strengthened his connection with Japanese fans on Tuesday when he arrived at a pregame press conference in Tokyo sporting a replica Japan national soccer team jersey.
When asked how he got the personalized “Hernandez” Samurai Blue jersey, the Puerto Rican utility player jokingly responded, “I tried out for the Japanese soccer team, and I made the team.”
Hernández later explained that his endorsement deal with Adidas led to the gift. He met a player representative in Japan through former Boston Red Sox teammate Hirokazu Sawamura.
“He wanted to give me a couple of gifts… and this was a very nice surprise that was inside the bag,” Hernández said.
The 33-year-old then took batting practice at Tokyo Dome wearing the jersey before playing in the Dodgers’ 4-1 season-opening win over the Chicago Cubs.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts praised Hernández for his ability to balance fun with high-level performance.
“He’s a unique person. He’s a unique baseball player,” Roberts said. “Not many people can be a jokester, have a lot of fun, but in the biggest moments, be able to… perform. He was a big part of our last two world championships.”
Hernández played a key role in the Dodgers’ World Series victories in 2020 and 2024. Last year, he hit one of the two home runs that helped Los Angeles defeat the San Diego Padres 2-0 in Game 5 of their National League Division Series.
During the press conference, Hernández and teammate Miguel Rojas also shared stories from a team dinner hosted by Japanese teammates Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki.
“It was amazing,” said Venezuelan shortstop Rojas. “We really appreciate the opportunity to taste a little bit of not just food but also the culture of Japan.”
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