I can't understand Kim Hye-sung, who is behind the 100% hitter...I strongly support that he will be a starting player in a few months

Jul 02, 2025

I can't understand Kim Hye-sung, who is behind the 100% hitter...I strongly support that he will be a starting player in a few months
LA 다저스 김혜성. AFP Yonhap News



I can't understand Kim Hye-sung, who is behind the 100% hitter...I strongly support that he will be a starting player in a few months
Jun 18, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Hyeseong Kim (6) runs the bases after hitting a ground rule double in the fifth inning against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
"Why is Michael Confoto playing so many times while Kim Hye-sung is on the bench?"

Jack Harris, a reporter for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles, is said to be the most frequently asked question by fans recently. Recently, Korean baseball fans have not hidden their frustration at the limited opportunity even though Kim Hye-sung is successfully spending his first season in the U.S. Major League, and Dodgers fans feel the same way. This means that domestic baseball fans are not simply pointing out Kim Hye-sung's lack of opportunities to play because he is a Korean player.

Kim Hye-sung is just around the corner this seasonThey have agreed to a three-year guarantee contract worth $12.5 million (about 16.9 billion won) with Jus. Compared to the ransom of Dodgers superstars such as Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, it is a bargain, but the Dodgers appreciated the potential to consider Kim Hye-sung as the opening second baseman.




Kim Hye-sung had to face the season in minor league Triple-A during the spring camp as he could not easily adapt to the balls of major league pitchers. The first ordeal. The Dodgers helped transform their batting form so that Kim Hye-sung could quickly adapt to the balls of major league pitchers without just neglecting him in the minor leagues. For about a month, Kim Hye-sung sweated in the shade.

Kim Hye-sung, who got a chance in the big league due to Tommy Edman's injury departure in May, flew wild. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts used left-handed hitter Kim Hye-sung as a platoon against right-handed pitchers, showing off his value in offense and defense despite few opportunities. He hit 0.369 (31 hits in 84 at-bats) with two home runs, 12 RBIs and an OPS of 0.935 in 38 games.

I can't understand Kim Hye-sung, who is behind the 100% hitter...I strongly support that he will be a starting player in a few months
Los Angeles Dodgers' Hyeseong Kim celebrates after hitting an RBI double against the San Diego Padres during the fifth inning of a baseball game Monday, June 9, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Orlando Ramirez)
I can't understand Kim Hye-sung, who is behind the 100% hitter...I strongly support that he will be a starting player in a few months
LA Dodgers Michael Confoto. AP Yonhap News
Veteran left-handed hitter Confoto is the one who limits Kim Hye-sung's playing time. Confoto's annual salary this year is $17 million (about 23.1 billion won). The amount is larger than Kim Hye-sung's three-year guarantee. In a cold professional world, ransom is the player's value. In that respect, it is natural that the Dodgers use Confoto before Kim Hye-sung.

The problem is Confoto's grades. Confoto hit 0.175 (40 hits in 229 at-bats) with six home runs, 19 RBIs and an OPS of 0.600 in 72 games this year. Who can understand the situation in which Kim Hye-sung, a .300 hitter, is benched to give more chances to a .100 hitter throughout the first half of the year.

Harris cited two reasons why Kim Hye-sung has fewer opportunities than Confoto on the 2nd (Korea time).

Harris said, `Kim Hye-sung's best defense position is second baseman, but he was blocked recently because of Edman. This is because Edman has been difficult to play outfield in recent weeks due to an ankle injury. As a result, Kim had to play mainly in center field. The center fielder explained, "Kim Hye-sung's position is not well equipped."




He continues "Juss has guaranteed Confoto $17 million this offseason, and hopes he can still turn things around on the offensive side. At least until the trade deadline, Confoto should continue to give opportunities to see if he is a player who can contribute to the team. If not, we need to check if it's a position that needs reinforcement", he explained.

If Kim Hye-sung plays as consistently as he does now, Roberts also expected that he would no longer be able to limit his playing time.

Harris said "Edman returned to the outfield this week. Roberts said Kim Hye-sung and Confoto's playing time would begin to even out (though the Dodgers were both on the bench last week as they faced several left-handed starters). My prediction is that in a few months, Kim Hye-sung will be in the starting lineup a little more if he continues to hit like he is now. However, until then, we will have to continue to watch Confoto start," he said, stressing that patience is needed.

I can't understand Kim Hye-sung, who is behind the 100% hitter...I strongly support that he will be a starting player in a few months
Los Angeles Dodgers' Hyeseong Kim swings during batting practice before a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)




This article was translated by Naver AI translator.