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By Jon Paul Hoornstra
Contributing Sports Writer
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The Los Angeles Dodgers' attitude was encapsulated perfectly, if a crassly, by utility player Kiké Hernandez after they eliminated the San Diego Padres in Game 5 of the National League Division Series.
In his postgame interview on the field with Fox Sports reporter Ken Rosenthal, Hernandez asked if they were on live television before dropping a profanity as a mischievous grin crossed his face:
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The "don't give a f***" quote quickly made the social media rounds and fired up the Dodgers' fan base.
The next day, Hernández apologized in an interview with MLB.com: "Last night during my postgame interview, I was really fired up after an incredibly competitive series with the Padres. I said something in a way that I deeply regret. I used a word on live television that I should not have. I apologize if I offended anyone."
More news: Dodgers' Game 5 Hero Reveals Surprising Key to Success
Buried beneath the hype is a nugget of truth. Hernandez wasn't merely fired up, or trying to fire up fans. His quote encapsulated a sincere thought about the Dodgers' attitude as a team.
According to one Dodgers player, no one embodies that attitude more than Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly.
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Speaking on the Baseball Isn't Boring podcast, pitcher Michael Kopech said the key to his success has been not worrying about being judged on the field — and no one does it better than Kelly.
"I think Joe's the best at that," Kopech told host Rob Bradford. "I think Joe is the best in baseball at not giving a damn about what other people think about him. I say that as the highest compliment because it's one of the hardest things to do in this game.
"What freed me up in the last game was that I had to warm up on the field in front of 50,000 people and I sailed a ball to the backstop. I can embarrass myself and then pitch? If I just did that, which is the most embarrassing thing I feel like I can do — yip a ball in front of 53,000 people — then I can pitch in front 53,000 people."
Kelly, 36, has made 41 postseason appearances in his career with the St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, and Los Angeles Dodgers. He has a 3.45 ERA, better even than his 3.98 ERA in the regular season.
In 2024 Kelly battled through injuries to appear in 35 games for the Dodgers, posting a 4.78 ERA. He did not make the Dodgers' roster for either the NLDS or the NLCS.
For more MLB postseason news, visit Newsweek Sports.
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