Hyesung, it's up again! Kim Hye-sung, a LAD .40 hitter, returned as a starter in one game, and started as second baseman in the away SD match
Jun 12, 2025
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Kim Hye-sung was listed as No. 9 second baseman in the third away game against the 2025 MLB San Diego Padres at Petco Park in San Diego, California on the morning of the 12th (Korea time). Kim Hye-sung, who started in center field No. 9 in the first away game against San Diego on the 10th and hit a tiebreaking double that served as the stepping stone for the come-from-behind victory, was excluded from the starting list in the game on the 11th.
Manager Dave Roberts is providing limited opportunities for Kim Hye-sung, who has contributed to the team with excellent batting and multi-defensive skills since the Major League call-up. This is because they strongly believe in 'Platoon system'. Therefore, if the opponent makes a left-handed starter, he is using Kim Hye-sung by excluding him from the starter at all or replacing him with a pinch hitter when a left-handed bullpen pitcher comes out.
However, in the match against San Diego on the 11th, Kim Hye-sung was not included in the starting lineup even though the opponent posted right-handed starter Darren Sheese. Criticism of this type of restrictive operation was infested not only in Korea but also in the United States. As a result, the LA Dodgers came from behind to win 8-7 on the 10th, when Kim Hye-sung played, but suffered a crushing defeat of 1-11 on the 11th.
Kim Hye-sung was replaced by a logistical guard (midfielder) during the defense in the bottom of the sixth inning of the game on the 11th, and he entered the batter's box twice and recorded no hits and one walk in one at-bats. His batting average for this season was 0.403 (25 hits in 62 at-bats) with an OPS of 1.020.
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First of all, batting order 1 to 3 is fixed. Shohei Ohtani (DH), Mookie Betts (striker) and Freddie Freeman (first baseman) were maintained throughout the three consecutive games. However, there was a change in the fourth batter. Catcher Wilson Smith was placed instead of Teoscar Hernandez, who was the fourth batter in the first and second games of away games in San Diego. Hernandez comes out in right field five.
After that, Max Muncy (third baseman), Andy Pazas (middle fielder), and Michael Confoto (left fielder) were placed in the lower batting order of 6-8. Finally, Kim Hye-sung entered the batting order of number 9. Roberts excluded Tommy Edman, who had just returned from injury, from the start and left Kim Hye-sung to second base.
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Vazquez, who is in his third year in the Major League, has been in the starting rotation of San Diego since last year. Last year, he played in 20 games, recording 4 wins and 7 losses and a 4.87 ERA. This year, he has started 13 games so far, with 3 wins and 4 losses and an ERA of 3.69, which is an improvement from last year.
This year's game against the Dodgers is his first appearance. This means that he will also compete with Kim Hye-sung for the first time. Attention is focusing on whether Kim Hye-sung, who returned to the starting lineup, will do well in the task of 'strong No. 9' against unfamiliar pitchers.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
