Enrique Hernández Delights Dodgers Fans at Raising Cane’s

ALHAMBRA, CA. – Enrique Hernández can draw a crowd. And not just at the ballpark or a World Series parade.

On Monday, November 4, a sea of Dodgers fans gathered outside of a Raising Cane’s restaurant on Valley Boulevard to greet Hernández and thank him for helping to bring another World Series title to Los Angeles.

By the time I arrived, a line of Dodger blue was already snaking around the building. A handful of diehard fans had camped outside of the restaurant overnight.

Hernández was there to work a “shift” at Raising Cane’s – he worked the register, served meals, and even took orders at the drive-thru window.

He took to the new gig with ease, hardly surprising for a player who regularly takes on new positions. This past season, Hernández played third base regularly for the first time in his 11-year career.

Raising the Roof

Fellow Dodger Mookie Betts worked a shift of his own at Raising Cane’s back in March. If possible, the crowd was even bigger and the cheers were even louder this time around.

Sure, that has a lot to do with the fact that the Dodgers won the World Series last week. But it also has plenty to do with Hernández himself. He may not be a perennial All-Star or a future Hall of Famer, but there is no denying his star power in Southern California.

When the Dodgers signed Hernández to a one-year, $4 million contract back in February, I wrote that they were taking advantage of a market inefficiency. My tone was perhaps a little tongue-in-cheek, but I meant what I said.

The veteran utility man was coming off one of the most challenging seasons of his career. His numbers perked up after a midseason trade from the Red Sox to the Dodgers, but even so, his 72 wRC+ in 2023 was his lowest since 2016. His defensive metrics – DRS, OAA, and DRP – had never been worse.

What’s more, the Dodgers had to offload another perfectly capable bench player, Manuel Margot, to make room for Hernández on the roster. At the time, one certainly could have argued they were better off keeping Margot or giving those bench reps to a younger, cheaper player.

Be that as it may, I praised the Dodgers for bringing Hernández back into the fold. They already had a super team. They didn’t need to worry about maximizing every spot on the 26-man roster.

Rather, precisely because they were already so loaded with talent, signing Hernández was a no-risk, all-reward decision.

Here’s how I explained it:

Signing Hernández was absolutely a smart move. But it goes beyond on-field results. With all due respect to Margot, Hernández will drum up more excitement on and off the field; in the clubhouse and amongst the fanbase; in person and on social media.

It’s like the Ohtani signing on a micro-scale. Friedman outbid every other team for Ohtani’s services because the two-way superstar will be more valuable to the Dodgers than he would have been to any other team.

Hernández isn’t going to bring in huge endorsement deals or attract legions of fans from overseas markets. Still, his face on a billboard or the team’s social channels will attract engagement. His presence on the field will boost morale. Few other bench players, if any, would have the same impact.

The Dodgers get their fair share of criticism for “buying” their division titles, pennants, and championships. But they also understand the value of fostering and maintaining a strong team identity.

Hernández has played a big part in developing that identity.

When I wrote that piece last winter, I didn’t even consider the added value Hernández could bring if the Dodgers won the World Series.

I don’t just mean his postseason stats, although they are impressive. In 86 career playoff games, Hernández has 15 home runs and a 134 wRC+. He added two of those long balls this past October while slashing .294/.357/.451.

But that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about Hernández firing up the crowd at Dodger Stadium with fun home run celebrations. I’m talking about him setting the internet ablaze with his now iconic words: “The fact that we don’t give a f—.”

And of course, I’m talking about him igniting a roar from the fans gathered outside Raising Cane’s with those exact same words.

The cheers were deafening as Hernández exited the restaurant and took the stage to address the crowd. Fans were climbing over fences, standing on parked cars and even sitting on nearby roofs to get a better look.

As I looked around at all the people, as I listened to the screams, I thought back on the one-year, $4 million contract Hernández signed last winter. Was there any other player the Dodgers could have signed for so little who could give back so much? Absolutely not.

Throughout the event, Hernández spoke openly about his free agency. He jokingly thanked Raising Cane’s for giving him a job; he’s technically unemployed, after all. He also made it clear that he’d love to be back in L.A. next year.

In fact, he told the crowd that he wants to be a Dodger forever. The crowd shared that sentiment.

It’s up to president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and Co. whether or not Hernández is back next year. It’s far from a sure thing. Yet, even if he puts on a new uniform in 2025, it’s hard to think Hernández won’t be a Dodger forever.

Between the regular season and the playoffs, he’s played more than 900 games in Dodger blue. He has helped the team win eight division titles, four NL pennants, and two World Series. He’s a local legend from Ventura to San Bernardino. There will be plenty of standing ovations at Dodger Stadium in his future.

As someone who spends most of my time poring over baseball stats, it’s nice to have such a strong reminder of the human side of the game. Professional sports are a form of entertainment, and athletes are entertainers. Hernández knows that better than anyone.

He’s valuable to the Dodgers on the field. He’s valuable to the Dodgers in the clubhouse. And he’s valuable to the Dodgers while he’s serving up chicken fingers at Raising Cane’s.