Kiké Hernández plays with a certain level of exuberance, an approach that has endeared the veteran infielder/outfielder to Red Sox Nation in two seasons with the organization.
Now, with Hernández entering his third year in Boston, the 31-year-old is a clubhouse leader whose enthusiasm is becoming increasingly infectious. And one look at his footwear offers a pretty good glimpse of Hernández's outgoing personality.
Hernández took to Instagram on Sunday to show off the colorful cleats he'll be rocking this season.
"MLB dropped the color rule on the shoes, and I've got plenty of white, red and gray and navy blue from the past couple of years," Hernández explained Monday while talking with Tom Caron during NESN's broadcast of the Red Sox's spring training game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. "So, I just decided to mix it up a little bit and have a little rotation going."
Major League Baseball recently loosened its restrictions on the cleats players can wear, an effort to promote individuality and ultimately appeal to a younger demographic. It's a change Hernández has welcomed with open arms.
"I like it," Hernández told TC. "We can't really wear anything other than the uniform that we're given. The only way we can show off our style or whatever -- hashtag fashion -- is through the gloves or through the shoes. So why not get a little out there and show a little more personality with the shoes?"
Red Sox fans also probably noticed that Hernández dyed his hair blonde while representing Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic. That, too, adds a little flair to Hernández's game, though he's unsure how long the new look will last.
"I don't know, a couple months maybe? We'll see. I don't know yet," Hernández said. "I can't really dye it my hair color because I don't really know what color my hair is. But yeah, we'll see how long it lasts."
