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The Los Angeles Dodgers plan on having Hyeseong Kim stay with the team until Tommy Edman returns, according to manager Dave Roberts.
While Edman’s stint on the injured list is not ideal, Dodgers fans are excited to watch Kim in the big leagues. The infielder made his Major League debut Saturday night at Truist Park.
Kim played at second base in the ninth inning of the Dodgers’ 10-3 win over the Atlanta Braves. Roberts revealed Kim will likely be coming off the bench for the Dodgers, but there is also a possibility he will get a few starts.
Roberts reiterated that Kim’s hitting is not a finished product, but the Dodgers saw Edman’s ankle injury as an opportunity to call up the former KBO utility man.
The Dodgers signed Kim this offseason to a three-year, $12.5 million deal. Days later, the defending champions traded starting second baseman Gavin Lux to the Cincinnati Reds.
It appeared the Dodgers planned on penciling Kim in as their new second baseman for the 2025 season; however, the 26-year-old’s struggles at the plate this spring caused the team to shift their plans.
Once the Dodgers left for Japan, Kim continued to work on his swing in Arizona and began the campaign with Triple-A Oklahoma City. The infielder arrived to the big leagues hitting .257 with an .801 OPS.
“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.
“I think right now it’s going to kind of be to come off the bench and fill in at different spots. But we’ll try to get a start for him.”
Kim revealed he was shocked the Dodgers were bringing him up, but was elated to join the defending champions.
“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.”
Photo Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
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