Dodgers send position player to pitch in 6th inning in historic 11-1 loss to Padres

When Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts sent utility player Enrique "Kiké" Hernández to the mound in the sixth inning of a 9-0 blowout against the San Diego Padres on June 10, 2025, at Petco Park, baseball history was made — not for a comeback, but for surrender. The Dodgers lost 11-1, but the real story wasn’t the score. It was the fact that a position player had never pitched this early in franchise history. Not in 140 years. Not even during the 1988 World Series run. Not even during the 2000s collapse when they were down to their last relief arm. This was different. This was resignation dressed as strategy.

Why a position player? The pitching staff was broken

The decision didn’t come out of nowhere. It came from exhaustion. Matt Sauer, a 24-year-old minor league call-up, had just thrown 111 pitches and allowed nine runs on 13 hits. His outing was a train wreck. But the bullpen? Even worse. With Shohei Ohtani still recovering from elbow inflammation and not cleared to pitch, and Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow working their way back from shoulder injuries, Roberts had literally no one left. The Dodgers had used eight pitchers in their last three games. Their bullpen ERA over the past week: 8.42. And this was just the first of seven games against the Padres in a brutal 10-day stretch. "We’re not trying to win tonight," Roberts admitted afterward. "We’re trying to win in October."

"Very awkward." The manager’s confession

Roberts, who’s managed the Dodgers since 2016 and led them to a World Series title in 2020, didn’t hide his discomfort. "Very awkward. It doesn’t feel good," he told reporters, staring at the floor as if he’d just broken a promise. Hernández, 33, had pitched in three previous games — all in mop-up duty, late in blowouts. But never this early. Never with the game still technically alive. Never with 38,000 fans watching, half of them wearing Padres gear, the other half in Dodger blue, stunned into silence. Hernández gave up two runs on three hits over 2⅓ innings. He threw 43 pitches. One was a 78-mph fastball that a Padres batter lined into the left-field seats. He didn’t strike out anyone. But he didn’t give up a grand slam, either. That, in a way, was a victory.

Backlash from the rivalry

The backlash came fast. Former San Diego Padres All-Star Wil Myers, who played for the team from 2013 to 2021 and was an All-Star in 2016, posted on X: "6th inning for a position player pitching seems a bit much, regardless of the score." The comment went viral. It wasn’t just about sportsmanship — it was about respect. In a rivalry that’s turned ugly in recent years, with heated bench-clearing incidents and traded barbs between players, this felt like a new low. Even some Dodger fans on social media called it "a surrender flag," "a joke," and "a slap in the face to the game." Meanwhile, Padres manager Bob Melvin, known for his calm demeanor, simply said: "We’re here to win. We’re not here to judge."

A franchise first — and maybe a last

According to the Los Angeles Times, Hernández’s appearance was the earliest a true position player had ever pitched in a Dodgers game since the franchise moved to Los Angeles in 1958. The previous record? June 28, 2018, when Chris Taylor pitched the ninth inning of a 13-2 loss to the Giants. This was the sixth inning. In a game the Dodgers entered with a 42-22 record — best in the National League. The contrast was jarring. They were leading their division. They had the highest payroll in baseball. They were expected to be contenders, not casualties. But injuries had turned them into a shell. Their top three starters were out. Their top two relievers were rehabbing. And now, they were using a guy who plays second base and outfield to try to eat innings. The move wasn’t just unprecedented — it was symbolic.

What happens next? The ripple effects

Major League Baseball has no mercy rule. So teams must play out every inning, no matter how lopsided. That means the Dodgers had to endure 27 more outs after the sixth. They had to let a position player pitch. They had to let fans watch. And they had to answer for it. The front office is now under pressure to explain why they didn’t make a trade before the June 30 deadline. Rumors are swirling that they’re exploring deals for veteran relievers, but with their farm system depleted, options are limited. Meanwhile, the Padres — who won their fourth straight game against the Dodgers this season — now hold a 3.5-game lead in the NL West. The next meeting? Three days later. At Dodger Stadium.

The human side: Kiké Hernández’s quiet resilience

Hernández, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, signed with the Astros as a 17-year-old international free agent in 2009. He’s played for four teams. He’s been a starter, a bench player, a pinch-hitter, a defensive replacement. He’s never been a pitcher. But when called upon, he showed up. After the game, he didn’t say much. Just a quick nod to the dugout. A handshake with the catcher. A quiet walk back to the clubhouse. No excuses. No complaints. In an era where athletes are expected to be loud, he was silent. And maybe that’s the most human thing about this whole mess.