Hyeseong Kim made his Major League debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night at Truist Park, and manager Dave Roberts has indicated that Kim will remain with the team at least until Tommy Edman returns from the injured list.
The Dodgers signed Kim this offseason to a three-year, $12.5 million deal, following a trade that sent starting second baseman Gavin Lux to the Cincinnati Reds. While the Dodgers initially appeared to be planning for Kim to take over at second base, his spring struggles at the plate led the team to adjust their plans. Kim began the season with Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he was hitting .257 with an .801 OPS before his call-up.
Los Angeles Dodgers Recall Hyeseong Kim
Roberts explained the decision to bring Kim up: “It’s a process. He’s making strides,” Roberts said of Kim’s adjustments. “And this quite frankly can be a good opportunity for him to see some major-league pitching and to see the quality, and also to get his feet wet to make his major-league debut here in the States.” Roberts added that Kim would likely come off the bench and fill in at different spots, with the possibility of getting some starts.
Kim expressed surprise and excitement about joining the Dodgers. “I was very surprised,” Kim said through his interpreter. “After the game last night, our Triple-A manager, Henny (Scott Hennessey) announced to me that I was going to go to the Show. I came in with a very happy and very excited mindset. I’m really excited right now.”
In his debut, Kim showcased his impressive speed and baserunning instincts. After Andy Pages singled against Atlanta closer Raisel Iglesias, Kim entered as a pinch runner. As Iglesias delivered his third pitch to pinch hitter Will Smith, Kim stole second base in 4.31 seconds. When Smith struck out and the ball dribbled away from catcher Drake Baldwin, Kim advanced to third, sliding in just under the tag.
Roberts praised Kim’s baserunning prowess. “That’s an instinctual play,” manager Dave Roberts said. “That was great,” Roberts said. “That was exciting. … That’s just some of the things that speed and what Hyeseong brings to the table.” The Dodgers envisioned this level of athleticism when they acquired Kim from Korea, recognizing it as a quality the veteran roster doesn’t have in abundance.
Despite Kim’s efforts, the Dodgers were unable to capitalize on the scoring opportunity. They had the tying run on second with no outs, and later on third with one out, but failed to bring him home. Miguel Rojas lamented, “Kim did an amazing job coming off the bench, stealing that bag, and I couldn’t deliver.”