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| LA Dodgers Kim Hye-sung smiles broadly as he is encouraged by manager Dave Roberts ahead of the exhibition game against the San Francisco Giants on the 2nd (Korea time). AP Yonhap News |
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| LA Dodgers Kim Hye-sung is circling the base after hitting a home run to the left in the fifth inning. AP Yonhap News |
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It was a home run that came out when we needed it the most.
After trailing 1-2, there was no runner at the bottom of the fifth inning. Los Angeles Dodgers left-handed hitter Kim Hye-sung hit a 91.6-mile fastball on San Francisco Giants right-hander Mason Black's first pitch to well over the left fence. Manager Dave Roberts, who was watching the game with his arms crossed in the third-base Dodgers dugout, turned his head to the left as Kim Hye-sung's ball stretched to the left, watched the ball, and raised his arms to cheer when it became a home run.
Then, as Kim Hye-sung turned around the base and homered, and headed to the dugout with the welcome of the next batters Griffin Lockwood-Powell and Chris Taylor, Roberts climbed one step and greeted him enthusiastically with a big round of applause, gave him a high-five and tapped his hips twice, rejoicing.
Roberts is famous for his gesture size when his hitters hit home runs. However, Kim Hye-sung's home run on the day revealed his fierce emotions more dramatically. That's because Kim Hye-sung was sluggish at bat in the exhibition game.
In the previous day's game against the Los Angeles Angels, he rarely hit the ball properly by Major League pitchers, such as taking a substitute role and bowing down with two strikeouts. Kim Hye-sung, who had a batting average of 0.071 with one hit in 14 at-bats and struck out seven without a home run, RBI or scoring, must have felt a sense of crisis.
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| Kim Hye-sung is welcomed by his teammates as he scored on Griffin Lockwood-Powell's double after walking to the base in the third inning. AP Yonhap News |
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In fact, Roberts said in a recent interview with local media that `There is a question mark on Kim Hye-sung, which is a blow. The possibility of starting the season in the minor leagues has not been closed", suggesting that it could be excluded from the opening roster. Local media rushed to predict Kim Hye-sung's minor run, citing Roberts' comments.
In this situation, a thrilling first home run was hit. It is very unusual this spring training that Roberts raised his hands and applauded hotly.
Shohei Ohtani, who played in the exhibition game for the first time the day before and hit a home run at his first at-bat, also did not send such a big gesture. Ohtani played as a designated leadoff hitter against the Angels on the 1st and hit a home run well over the left fence by pushing the opponent's left-hander Yusei Kikuchi's high fastball in his first at-bat in the bottom of the first inning.
When Ohtani turned around the base and stepped home, Roberts raised his right arm with a casual expression and gave a high five. Although it is not a scene to compare, Kim Hye-sung's welcome on this day was quite different.
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| Coach Dave Roberts is beating his hip as Kim Hye-sung hits a solo home run in the fifth inning. Photo = MLB.TV Capture |
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| Coach Dave Roberts raises his right hand to ask for a high-five after Shohei Otani hit a home run in the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels on the 1st (Korea time). ImagesYonhap News |
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When Kim Hye-sung hit a home run on this day, local broadcasters said, "Not only was it Kim Hye-sung's first home run as a Dodgers player, but his swing was much better."He's a very honest player. Look. One of the things he was worried about was targeting a fastball with the high speed of the Major League, which was a course just off the end of the bat, but Kim Hye-sung hit it well. It went over even though the wind blew."
Then "I thought the Dodgers players would do a silent ceremony, but they didn't. Dodgers players in the dugout greeted him with high fives and laughter." My colleagues were well aware of Kim Hye-sung's situation, so they were happy like my job.
Kim Hye-sung was the first home run in seven games and 16 at-bats in this spring training exhibition game. Kim Hye-sung, who scored one hit, one RBI and three runs in two at-bats, including a home run, hit 0.125 (2 hits in 16 at-bats), one home run, one RBI, three runs, two walks, seven strikeouts and an OPS of 0.576.
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| San Francisco's Lee Jung-hoo talks with shortstop Kim Hye-sung during the Dodgers pitcher replacement time in the third inning. AP Yonhap News |
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This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
