The Los Angeles Dodgers took a deliberate approach with getting Hyeseong Kim acclimated to playing in the United States after beginning his professional career in South Korea, and it amounted to beginning the season with Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Multiple injuries led to Kim getting recalled in early May, and he’s carved out a significant role ever since. The Dodgers continued to utilize Kim off the bench and in limited starts despite impressive results at the plate.
More recently he’s been in the lineup on a regular basis, which has come with some regression. However, some of that may be due to Kim not being healthy.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed Kim has been playing with some left shoulder discomfort for the past handful of days, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic:
Hyeseong Kim has played through a left shoulder issue for the last five or six days, per Dave Roberts. Won't play tomorrow.
"I think it's been affecting his swing a little bit…I think that's some of the reason why there's a little bit more swing and miss than there has been."
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) July 27, 2025
Other than a spike in his strikeouts, there wasn’t any overt sign Kim was experiencing shoulder trouble until Friday’s game at Fenway Park. Joe Davis noted on the SportsNet LA broadcast that Kim grimaced after a swing and never seemed to get comfortable. Kim played the entire game and went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts.
He was back in the lineup on Saturday, during which Davis repeatedly mentioned on the Fox broadcast that Kim’s left shoulder had been causing some trouble. The dynamic 26-year-old didn’t appear impacted by it in the Dodgers’ loss as he finished 2-for-3 with one strikeout.
Perhaps most encouraging was both of Kim’s hits came against Garrett Crochet, who had 10 strikeouts over six innings.
Why was Hyeseong Kim in the lineup?
Although Kim is not 100%, he played in the first eight games since the All-Star break, making seven starts. Some of that can be tied to the Dodgers being without Kiké Hernández (left elbow inflammation) and Max Muncy (left knee bone bruise), and Mookie Betts missing the two games due to the death of his stepdad.
Betts rejoined the Dodgers on Saturday and pinch-hit for Kim with two outs in the ninth inning.
Kim was not in the lineup for the series finale against the Red Sox but did enter as a pinch-runner and remain in the game defensively. His spot in the order did not come up after that point.
Kim is expected to be back in the lineup on Monday.
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