Kim Hye-sung, who was half-baked "as the Dodgers expected," why the U.S. media praised it

*This content was translated by AI.

Worries and expectations followed by regret. It was the feeling of baseball fans looking at a year since Kim Hye-sung (27, LA Dodgers) joined the Dodgers. Nevertheless, local media praised Kim Hye-sung's debut season.

U.S. sports media Yahoo Sports highlighted Kim Hye-sung with an article on the 7th (Korea Standard Time) that said, "The successful rookie season of the Dodgers and Kim Hye-sung ahead of the 2026 WBC shines."

Kim Hye-sung, who recorded a career batting average of 0.304 in the KBO League, won the Golden Glove for four consecutive years as a shortstop and second baseman, and then signed a contract with the Dodgers for up to $22 million (about 31.8 billion won) for 3+2 years through posting and headed to the U.S.

The first reaction of baseball fans was surprise and concern. There was also a welcome and joy of advancing to the World Series championship team in the previous season, but at the same time, I was worried about whether I could get a chance properly.

I was expected to play the role of a "super utility." Yahoo Sports said, "Defining the 'success' of recruiting players is often subjective because it depends on expectations, contract size, and role," adding, "During the busy last offseason, the Dodgers' decision to recruit Kim Hye-sung, a former KBO player, for three years and $12.5 million (about 18 billion won) was not made in hopes of immediate star quality."

Kim Hye-sung, who started in the minor league at the beginning of the season due to correcting his batting posture, played only 0.267 in 37 games in Triple-A, but succeeded in stealing 14 bases (failure 1), and OPS (on-base plus slugging) 0.793, meeting the direction the Dodgers wanted. The media said, "The overall record suggested that he was 'ready' rather than 'a situation that needs to be urgently called up', but the impact on the base line was immediate. "Kim Hye-sung constantly pressured the opponent's battery by making 14 of his 15 stolen base attempts and showed off his sense of running back that melted into American baseball without any sense of incompatibility," he explained.

After the call-up in May, he made a huge impact from the beginning. After Tommy Edman's injury, he went back and forth inside and outside and filled his role brilliantly. "Thanks to his experience playing outfield defense in the minor league, he was able to play various roles without shaking the team's defensive lineup," the media said.

He also had multiple hits in five of his first 12 games at bat and ended the first month with a batting average of 0.422 and an OPS of 1.058 during his first 48 at-bats.

Later, heading into the second half, the Dodgers began to refine their power for the postseason early on, and Kim Hye-sung also took a somewhat downward turn. Although the batting average against left-handed pitchers made a very strong impression with 0.381 (8 hits in 21 at-bats) and one home run and an OPS of 0.952, it was also because they fell victim to the thorough platoon system.

The media said, "Kim Hye-sung's ability to run has been a constant weapon throughout the season. The utility infielder stressed that the Dodgers made 13 stolen bases without a single failure before the final regular-season series against Seattle, where the Dodgers had already been confirmed to advance to the postseason.

When I looked back on one season, I evaluated Kim Hye-sung. Regarding Kim Hye-sung's recruitment, he explained, "It was a calculated investment in his athletic ability, defensive versatility, and long-term growth potential." "From this point of view, it is difficult to see Kim Hye-sung's first year performance as a failure, especially considering the big adaptation process of major league transformation."

He also reported that he will join the first camp of the World Baseball Classic (WBC) national team in Saipan from the 9th. "Dodgers infielder Kim Hye-sung will join the Korean national team's training camp as preparations for the 2026 WBC begin," he said. "Kim Hye-sung, who is not unfamiliar with the international stage by being listed on the 2023 WBC national team list, will head to camp just after his rookie debut season at the Dodgers in 2025."

"Kim Hye-sung, who is preparing to rejoin the Korean national team ahead of the 2026 WBC, has now proven himself as a 'useful and adaptable major leaguer,'" he said. "This is the very result that the Dodgers drew when they invested in him."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.