The Los Angeles Dodgers continued their road trip with a 7-4 win over the Miami Marlins in a game that was notable for Hyeseong Kim making his first MLB start.
The 26-year-old joined the team last week after Tommy Edman was placed on the 10-day injured list and had been limited to a pair of appearances off the bench.
Kim started at second base and went 2-for-4 with an RBI and stolen base on Monday. He also scored his first big league run in the top of the fifth when Shohei Ohtani connected on a two-run homer to extend the Dodgers’ lead.
Manager Dave Roberts praised Kim for his confidence and believes he has added a new element to the Dodgers lineup, via SportsNet LA:
“He was great. I think the other night, him on the bases, showed his kind of fearlessness. For him to come out here, throw out a knock, get a couple hits and play good defense, it was really exciting. He does add that spark to our ballclub.”
The Dodgers signed Kim to a three-year, $12.5 million contract during the offseason and he seemingly was destined to take over the starting job at second base when Gavin Lux was traded to the Cincinnati Reds.
However, Kim did not fare well at the plate in Spring Training and was optioned to Oklahoma City to begin the 2025 season. Even with his struggles, the Dodgers maintained confidence in Kim and felt he was more of a long-term option for the organization.
Roberts said Kim will fill a bench role and occasionally get some starts in his first stint on the Major League roster. But given the early success and Teoscar Hernández potentially going on the injured list, it’s possible Kim will receive more opportunities for the time being.
Hyeseong Kim wears MLB debut jersey patch
By playing in his first career game over the weekend, Kim became the latest Dodgers rookie to wear an MLB debut patch on his jersey this season. Roki Sasaki and Jack Dreyer previously did so earlier this year when they both pitched in the Tokyo Series.
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