Emotional Kiké Hernández reveals troubling detail about injury that forced Dodgers exit

Kiké Hernández's return to the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup didn't exactly go as planned. Just two games back from his return to the active roster following offseason elbow surgery, Hernández suffered an oblique injury during the Dodgers' 15-6 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night, and it sounds as if he'll be headed right back to the injured list.

Hernández went 2-for-2 with a home run and a double before exiting Tuesday's game in the sixth inning, but he actually admitted to injuring himself during batting practice before Monday's game.

Hernández sat in front of his locker and spoke with the media following his early-exit on Tuesday. He told reporters that he felt something during BP on Monday and the pain became increasingly unbearable after his double during the bottom of the fourth inning on Tuesday before Dodgers manager Dave Roberts removed him from the game.

Dodgers back at square one as Kiké Hernandez stares down another rehab

Hernández's injury puts the Dodgers back in the same pickle they were facing before his return from the IL. The veteran utility player was manning the hot corner in place of Max Muncy during his first game on Monday, and was in left field on Tuesday night before being lifted in favor of Alex Call.

While LA has no shortage of players on the 40-man roster who can fill in at various spots while Hernández recovers from his latest injury, no one has the same level of versatility. When healthy, Hernández can play all over the diamond, and gives Roberts almost unlimited ways to mix and match his lineup. That crutch is now gone, and the Dodgers' skipper will have to be a bit more creative in the coming weeks.

Tommy Edman just began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City this week, so there's hope that he'll soon return after being sidelined with an ankle injury. But Edman has been dormant for quite some time, meaning he'll need a slow and steady ramp up before making his way back to the active roster.

The Dodgers DFA'd Santiago Espinal in order to make room for Hernández earlier this week, and while they could always look to renegotiate a return to roster, his production doesn't warrant a reunion.

Hernández is hoping for the best, but fans will have to wait until after further imaging reveals the severity of his injury. Even if it's a Grade 1 oblique strain, Dodgers fans may want to brace for being without Hernández for at least a month.

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