Free agent utility player Kiké Hérnandez had surgery on his left elbow and will not play for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.
Hérnandez, a three-time World Series champion, made the announcement on social media and posted a photo of himself with a sling on his left arm.
‘Yesterday Friday November 14th I had to repair my elbow extension muscle as I suffered a tear in May and continued to play with the urge to repeat as World Series Champion caused it to break the bone,’ Hernandez wrote. ‘The rehabilitation won’t allow me to be ready in time to wear the uniform with Puerto Rico on my chest. I hope you understand.’
Hernández played for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic in 2017 and 2023.
The 34-year-old Hérnandez played last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he hit .203 with 10 home runs, 35 RBI, and a .621 OPS in 92 games, helping the team win a second straight championship.
His clutch play in Game 6 against the Toronto Blue Jays helped seal a victory in the game after his running catch from left field and throw to second base got the final out to force a Game 7, which Los Angeles won in extra innings.
In 12 MLB seasons with the Dodgers, Houston Astros, Miami Marlins, and Boston Red Sox, Hérnandez is a .236 hitter with 130 home runs and 470 RBI.