When the Dodgers lost Kiké Hernández to the Boston Red Sox this winter, it was a hard pill to swallow. During his time in Los Angeles, he spoiled us with his quirky personality and his dominant postseason performances. He quickly became a fan favorite which made it much more difficult to say goodbye. However, the emergence of new utility man Zach McKinstry has quickly been making us forget all about Kiké.
Or at least lessen the pain.
Sunday’s matchup against the Washington Nationals featured a pair of first ballot Hall of Fame pitchers going toe-to-toe. Clayton Kershaw and Max Scherzer both put on a clinic while on the mound as each pitcher matched the other, that was until Zach Attack got to the plate. After the game Kershaw told the media that McKinstry was a “ball player.”
"He's a baseball player, man. That's the best compliment you can give somebody who plays our game." @ClaytonKersh22 on @ZachCMU's impact early on this season and what was working on the mound in his 6 innings of work. #Dodgers @kirsten_watson pic.twitter.com/r5Ve3RChYv
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) April 11, 2021
He also compared him to the none other than Kiké himself.
“He’s like the left-handed-hitting Kiké, doing the things Kiké used to do. He’s filled in with Belly and Mookie out, and he’s done such a great job. And he has some thump, too, man. He can really hit.”
Boy can he really hit. So far this season, McKinstry is batting .321 with 6 extra-base hits (2 home runs) and a team leading 10 RBIs. In Sunday’s 3-0 victory he hit his second home run, his first that went over the fence, while also driving in all of the team’s runs. While it’s a small sample size, the left-handed swinging utility-man is also hitting .364 against lefties. Having the ability to hit both right and left-handed pitching is a huge bonus to his chances to continue to play moving forward.
A laser homer for @Dodgers No. 15 prospect Zach McKinstry, who has driven in all three of the club's runs. pic.twitter.com/LxSZvsiKbO
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 11, 2021
The former 33-round pick has also flashed some leather and expanded his versatility on the field. He’s a second baseman by trade but has already appeared in handful of games in the outfield with the likes of Cody Bellinger and Mookie Betts being sidelined. Although it was unfamiliar territory for him, he’s not to be slept on.
Final Thoughts
During Spring training, the 25-year old impressed and won the last roster spot heading into the new season. Since then, he hasn’t looked back. When Bellinger and Betts eventually make it back to the starting lineup, finding playing time for McKinstry should be at the top of his list. While Kiké Hernández will always have a special place in the hearts of Dodger fans, Zach is part of the future and is off to a solid start to his young career.
Could he make a run at becoming the 2021 NL Rookie of the Year?
NEXT: Missing Both Mookie and Cody, LA’s Next Man Up Mentality is Paying Off Early
The Link LonkApril 13, 2021 at 12:00AM
https://www.dodgersnation.com/dodgers-kike-hernandez-who-zach-mckinstry-is-quickly-making-us-forget/2021/04/12/
Dodgers: Kiké Hernández Who? Zach McKinstry Is Quickly Making Us Forget - Dodgers Nation
https://news.google.com/search?q=forget&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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