Heading into Game 5 of the National League Division Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres, Kiké Hernández was the unlikely choice to be FOX’s walk-off interview with all the star power on both sides.
But there might not have been anyone better suited for that moment and Hernández left baseball fans with the soundbite of the MLB playoffs so far.
FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal asked Hernández, who smacked a solo home run in a 2-0 win that lifted the Dodgers to the NL Championship Series, what was different about this Dodgers team to pull out a victory of that magnitude.
Hernández’s response quickly went viral.
“Are we live?” Hernández first said before getting confirmation from Rosenthal. “The fact that we don’t give a (expletive).”
Hernández’s expletive went out over the air for all to hear after it seemed like initially he was going to censor himself by checking in with Rosenthal.
It sure was quite the statement from Hernández, who rejoined the Dodgers during the middle of last season via a trade from the Boston Red Sox. It was Los Angeles’ first playoff series win since 2021.
Hernández showed during the 2021 postseason with the Red Sox that he thrives in October baseball. He batted a sensational .408 with five home runs and nine RBIs during Boston’s run to the American League Championship Series that year.
Hernández, who helped record the final out of the game on a grounder by Fernando Tatis Jr., was asked about what brings the best out of him in the postseason. He kept his answer PG this time.
“I like it,” Hernández said. “I don’t know, but I like it.”