"Kim Hye-sung can't trade" The Dodgers must keep, why the U.S. media called for "no trade theory."

*This content was translated by AI.

Kim Hye-sung (27, Los Angeles Dodgers), who has performed well in the first season with very limited opportunities, but is on and off the list as a trade card, has more to show.

The U.S. media Dodgers Way cited Kim Hye-sung as a player who must protect in an article on the 6th (Korea Standard Time) that said, "The Dodgers must trade two players ahead of the 2026 season."

The Dodgers' greed, which has won two consecutive World Series titles, is endless. It also strengthened its back door by recruiting Edwin Diaz this winter. On top of that, there are predictions that the team will increase efficiency through trade.

Therefore, the media insisted that players who should be used as trade cards and those who do not should be clearly distinguished. "There are players in the Dodgers that can be more valuable to other teams, and there are players who have been mentioned in the trade rumors, but it is more reasonable to leave them on the team in the end," the media said. "Despite the rumour, there are definitely two players who must hold on and two players who must trade and maximize their value before the value declines."

Kim Hye-sung was selected as a player that the Dodgers must protect. Introducing Kim Hye-sung as a utility player, the media said, "Kim Hye-sung did not have the rookie season that everyone expected, but he recorded a batting average of 0.280 and had positive factors such as a solid batting angle created during contact. In addition, he showed considerable defense utilization by playing not only infield defense but also center field defense," he said.

Kim Hye-sung showed consistent performance every time he played, but he was a victim of a thorough platoon system in the Dodgers, where the depth was so solid. It was used very limitedly against left-handed pitchers.

The media said, "He didn't get enough opportunities to show his ability. Kim Hye-sung, who will turn 27 soon, emphasized that she played only 170 at-bats in the big leagues, which was far from enough time to adapt to major league pitchers and melt into a completely different culture.

Above all, he claimed that Kim Hye-sung's versatility will help the Dodgers. "Kim Hye-sung may not be a star player, but he has the talent that the Dodgers want, that is, Versatility," he said. "Most of all, trading him now would be a bargain sale." It makes a lot more sense to give him enough opportunity to prove his skills before putting him on the trade market. As the Dodgers' current situation at second base is somewhat unstable, having Kim Hye-sung will mean securing potential options in the operation of the Keystone duo," he said.

Along with Kim Hye-sung, Teoscar Hernandez was considered a player the Dodgers should protect. Based on his solid power, he hit 25 home runs and needs to reinforce his outfield team," he said with strength.

On the other hand, catcher Dalton Rushing and infielder Alex Freeland were cited as players to be used as trade cards. As for rushing, "It is true that this rookie catcher was difficult to find a rhythm because his playing time in the big leagues was jagged, but his performance when given the opportunity was particularly disappointing with an OPS of 0.582. Most importantly, I don't see a clear way for Rushing to play as the main player," he explained.

In the case of Freeland, "The fourth-ranked Dodgers prospect had a harsh debut season with a batting average of 0.190, an on-base percentage of 0.292, a slugging percentage of 0.310, and a strikeout percentage of 36.1%. Even if the road ahead is not as tight as rushing, it may be difficult to be guaranteed to bat in 2026 due to the presence of Miguel Rojas, Tommy Edman, and Kim Hye-sung," he stressed.

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*This content was translated by AI.