For Roberts, Kim Hye-sung and Outman can't play there, and they can't stand, and they're not lonely to be relegated from Triple-A, but the competition continues

Mar 20, 2025

LA Dodgers Kim Hye-sung will join his competitor as he enters the season in Triple-A. AP Yonhap News

The disadvantage of LA Dodgers' James Outman is that he has many strikeouts. AP Yonhap News

The Los Angeles Dodgers cleaned up their roster after sweeping the opening series against the Chicago Cubs. It is in preparation for the opening game of the U.S. mainland to announce a full-fledged race.

Shortly after winning Game 2 of the Tokyo Series at Tokyo Dome on the 29th (Korea time), the Dodgers announced on the club's SNS that they will send right-handers Matt Sauer, Landon Ngak and outfielder James Outman down to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

The three players will open the season in Oklahoma City with Kim Hye-sung, who was first decided to go to Triple-A and went down to the minor league camp. All of them are registered on the 40-man Major League roster, and the 26-man roster of the opening game on the 18th included Nyack and Outman.

The Dodgers need to adjust their roster ahead of the mainland's opening game, and they need to put three starters, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Dustin May, who are excluded from the Tokyo Series roster, so they plan to match 26 players accordingly.

Kim Hye-sung was excluded from the flight list to Tokyo as he played as a substitute against the Cleveland Guardians on the 12th, the last exhibition game just before the Japanese away game. And immediately I was informed that I was going down to Oklahoma City. On the other hand, Outman, Andy Farggs, and Chris Taylor, who competed as utility outfielders, were included in the 31-man away list, and all three of them were on the 26-man opening roster.

James Outman, who was included in the Tokyo Series roster but did not get a chance to play and was eventually notified of going to Triple-A. AP Yonhap News

Among them, it is notable that Outman was eliminated. Outman never got a chance to play in two Tokyo Series games. The Dodgers used nine starting batters in two consecutive games until the end. There was no pinch-hitter, no pinch-runner, no logistical operation at all. Even though Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, former MVP and key players of the team's offense, were unable to play due to injuries, they left the offense and defense to only nine key players.

Outman and Kim Hye-sung competed in the exhibition game as backup utility resources. Coincidentally, the two have a season in Triple-A together. Outman batted .207 (6 hits in 29 at-bats), home run, six RBIs, four runs scored, five walks, 15 strikeouts and an OPS of .816 in 12 previous exhibition games. Roberts tilted his head because the outman had a lot of strikeouts, but he did not raise Kim Hye-sung's hand.

Kim Hye-sung recorded a batting average of 0.207 (6 hits in 29 at-bats), one homer, three RBIs, six runs scored, and an OPS of 0.613 in 15 games. Kim Hye-sung's strikeout rate was high from 33 at-bats to 11 times and 33.3 percent. Outman's strikeout rate was higher at 41.7% from 36 at-bats to No. 15.

Outman was born in May 1997 and is two years older than Kim Hye-sung (born in January 1999). He was drafted and joined in the seventh round of the 2018 draft and made his major league debut in 2022. Since I spent more than three years in the minor leagues, I can say that I've suffered enough. In 2022, he hit a batting average of 0.294, 31 homers, and 106 RBIs in 125 Double-A and Triple-A games, drawing attention as the next big guns. However, he has not settled down even though he hit a batting average of 0.248 and 23 home runs while playing a full-time outfielder in the big league in 2023.

Last year, he spent more time in Triple-A, and in 53 major league games, he hit .147 with a 35.3% strikeout rate. It is pointed out as a disadvantage that there are many strikeouts.

Kim Hye-sung is adapting to the new batting form to improve his ability to hit. AP Yonhap News

Kim Hye-sung is currently adjusting to his new batting form at a minor league camp. I didn't raise my right foot when I hit, but pulled it slightly I changed it to a horizontal form. It is based on the club's point of increasing accuracy. Kim, who struck out seven times in 16 at-bats in February, reduced the number to four in 17 at-bats in March. However, Kim Hye-sung, who was ordered to play as the main player in Triple-A and try to hit a lot, should give confidence that his ability to hit has improved. Outman has long-shot power, so Kim Hye-sung should appeal the accuracy as the competition between the two continues in Triple-A.