Monday, June 23

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Kiké Hernández became the latest sensation to take the mound in L.A. last week. His scoreless appearance against the Marlins on April 29 drew more attention than usual for a position player pitching -- not for the impressive array of slow curves he floated out over the plate but because of the fashion statement he made in the process.

Making his first appearance as a pitcher at Dodger Stadium, Hernández wore a pitchers' helmet over his cap. It was a familiar sight to anyone who had spent time around the Dodgers during Spring Training, but it had yet to see any game action.

The helmet had been offered to Bobby Miller by a doctor after the right-hander was struck on the head by a line drive in his Cactus League debut. Miller had no interest in using the protective headwear, but Hernández took a shine to it and began wearing it around Camelback Ranch. 

And of course, the unusual -- yet practical -- headgear resurfaced again when Hernández made his sixth career pitching appearance.

"Him wearing it last night was definitely something different and new," lefty Alex Vesia said. "And he rocked it. I thought it was awesome."

But as much as the Dodgers enjoyed the show, a sample of pitchers polled on Hernández's helmet were in firm agreement: They're not planning on trying it out any time soon.

Kirby Yates: "Everybody's thought about it. But the idea of doing it … I think, obviously, it's good to protect yourself. But as far as that particular item, I don't know if it would be comfortable."

Luis García: "I don't think so. No. Not even the hat that they [made] a couple years ago. No. I don't think so."

Tanner Scott: "No, no."

It's not unprecedented for pitchers to experiment with some kind of head protection, but it's still an uncommon sight to see someone on the mound wearing any headgear beyond a standard cap. Among the recent innovations have been padded caps and Kevlar inserts, but nothing has really caught on league-wide.

But the idea of wearing some sort of protective gear still appeals to some pitchers, especially in the wake of an injury like Miller's during spring. Serious head injuries can cost more than just a playing career.

"Obviously, when Bobby got hit on the head during Spring Training, that was a big eye opener, like how real it can be. Thankfully he's OK and doing good and whatnot," Vesia said. "I think it was a couple days later that Kiké had brought that [helmet] out. … I was interested in it, just like, could this be implemented at some point?

"It's very big and bulky. So I think it would definitely take some time to get used to, just because a baseball cap is so light. For me, I don't really notice it when I'm pitching. So it would definitely take some time to get used to."

The potential discomfort of wearing a helmet while on the mound came up the most among Dodgers pitchers. So the prospect of trying out something that might feel less invasive got the most positive reception.

"They have these Kevlar inserts that you can put in your hat that are probably the best thing that I've seen," Yates said. "I'm sure after using that a few times, you probably don't even know it's there. It's kind of like PitchCom, right? You put the PitchCom in there, the first couple times, it's weird. Now it's like you don't even notice it."

The same could even be true for a helmet after an adjustment period. But even so, the idea of wearing head protection still doesn't hold much appeal for some.

"No, I just would never wear it," Scott said. "I don't think it would be comfortable. But I think it fits [Kiké] very well."

Hernández said that because he's used to wearing batting helmets, he doesn't really feel any different pitching with or without the helmet.

Well, except for one thing.

"I felt way more safe," Hernández said.

When Hyeseong Kim made his first Major League start on Monday night in Miami, he also checked off a couple of other big league firsts.

Kim's first hit in the Majors was a single off the Marlins' Sandy Alcantara, an opposite-field single in the fifth inning. He stole second base and scored when Shohei Ohtani scorched his ninth homer of the season.

One inning later, Kim drove in his first run with a blooper to shallow left-center. 

After eight seasons in the KBO, Kim made his MLB debut with the Dodgers on Saturday but had appeared only as a defensive replacement and pinch-runner.

"He was great," manager Dave Roberts said after Monday’s game. "I think the other night, him on the bases, shows his fearlessness. For him to come in here, throw out a knock, get a couple hits, play good defense, it was just really exciting. He just adds that spark to our ballclub."

The Dodgers are midway through a three-city road trip, but there are some exciting events -- including four bobblehead giveaways -- coming up once they return to Dodger Stadium. The full-season promotional schedule can be found here.

• May 13 vs. A's: Mookie Betts bobblehead

• May 15 vs. A's: Ohtani 50/50 bobblehead

• May 19 vs. D-backs: Vin Scully bobblehead

• May 21 vs. D-backs: Will Smith last out bobblehead

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