'Shocked' Kim Hye-sung is leaving LAD → Suddenly, rumors of a local trade in the U.S. appear... But it turns out it's a good thing? There was a reason

*This content was translated by AI.

There were rumors of a trade in the U.S. over Kim Hye-sung (27), an all-round utility player of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Dodgers Way, which specializes in Dodgers team news, recently said, "The Dodgers' competition for second baseman position could lead to Kim Hye-sung's trade."

The media said, "With Tommy Hyun-soo Edman, who underwent ankle surgery, uncertain about his participation in the opening game, the Dodgers' second base position was not guaranteed to anyone. First, Miguel Rojas was guaranteed a spot on the roster. However, the key is to play as a platoon with Rojas or find a second baseman beyond him."

Kim Hye-sung and prospect Alex Freeland are the two most likely candidates. Also, Santiago Espinal, who was newly hired, is a low probability but could be considered. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the team's training, "Kim Hye-sung and Freeland are competing for the same spot on the 26-man roster."

"In other words, one of Kim Hye-sung and Freeland will start the season in the minor leagues," he said. "If that's Freeland, there's no big problem. He is still very young. However, if it's Kim Hye-sung, it's a different story. The Dodgers may have to grit their teeth as it is painful but inevitable, and trade him (But if it's Kim... the Dodgers might finally need to bite the bullet and trade him)"고 주장했다.

Dodgers Way went on to say, "The Dodgers clearly did not know how to utilize Kim Hye-sung. There were also reports that Ohtani recommended recruiting. The Dodgers probably responded to the recommendation even before making his specific utilization plan, he speculated, adding, "Kim Hye-sung's ransom is very insignificant considering the Dodgers as a whole. That makes him a more attractive trade card. Even if it is not a big league career, he is a player with a lot of professional experience. He is a versatile and contact-oriented hitter. He also has good defense. The team that wants Kim Hye-sung will get such a batter," he said.

The media said, "Of course, if Kim Hye-sung is excluded from the opening roster, it is much more likely to be placed in the minor league and replaced with Kim Hye-sung when Freeland wanders." Kim Hye-sung still has two minor league options, so the Dodgers have nothing to lose. However, it is more reasonable for him to send Kim Hye-sung to a team that can play every day." In fact, Kim Hye-sung's position as the main player and playing in many games is definitely a good thing for the player.

Of course, this is just a trade theory that came out even before any situation happened. Finally, the media said, "It may be thinking too far ahead. Competition is taking place for the second baseman position. An important opportunity for both, especially for Kim Hye-sung. Now is the perfect opportunity for Kim Hye-sung to show her ability," he said, taking a step back.

Meanwhile, Kim Hye-sung, who entered the Major League ahead of the 2025 season, played his role in the Dodgers. In 71 games in the 2025 season, he played a batting average of 0.280 (45 hits in 161 at-bats), three homers, six doubles, one triple, 17 RBIs, 19 runs, seven walks, two strikeouts, a 13 steals (1 failed) on-base percentage of 0.314, a slugging percentage of 0.385 and an OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) of 0.699.

Furthermore, Kim Hye-sung was on the roster of all postseason games last year, from the National League Wild Card Series to the Division Series (NLDS, best-of-five), the Championship Series (NLCS, best-of-seven), and the World Series (WS, best-of-seven). In the fourth game of the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies, he played as a substitute in the 11th inning of overtime and scored the winning goal. In the end, he finally enjoyed the joy of winning the World Series with his Dodgers teammates.

However, Kim Hye-sung is not yet a clear starting member of the Dodgers. He played only two games in the postseason last year. He has already proved his skills, but he has to show good performance again in this spring camp. What is encouraging is that he recently hit a home run against Yamamoto, who pitched live in the spring camp. The same media also highlighted this point and praised Kim Hye-sung. How will Kim Hye-sung perform this season.

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*This content was translated by AI.