*This content was translated by AI.
The humility of Kim Hye-sung (27), who lowers himself as a "challenger" even in the uniform of the LA Dodgers, a prestigious Major League club, is shaking the Japanese archipelago. He, a key infielder for the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) Korean national team, is drawing praise from local media and fans in Japan.
Kim Hye-sung came right after the strengthening game against the Hanshin Tigers at the Kyocera Dome in Osaka, Japan on the 2nd. Kim Hye-sung, the seventh batter, struggled against Hanshin's right-hander Hiroto Saiki (28), and finished the game with no hits in three at-bats and three strikeouts. As a player in the Major League, it was a result that could hurt his pride, but Kim Hye-sung, who appeared in the mixed zone after the game, said "respect" for the opponent first instead of an excuse.
In fact, Kim Hye-sung is a representative Korean player who receives great attention from Japanese media. He plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers along with Shohei Ohtani (32) and Yoshinobu Yamamoto (28). After the first warm-up match in Japan, he seems to have been asked for an interview by Japanese reporters.
According to multiple media outlets, including Japanese media The Answer, Kim Hye-sung left a compliment on the Japanese reporters' question about Saiki, who struck out after the game on the 2nd, saying, "He was a really good pitcher with good forkball and physique." Saiki was the ace of the Hanshin Tigers in the 2025 season. He is the top player in the Pacific League's ERA category with 12 wins, 6 losses and a 1.55 ERA in 24 games. He is a player who talks about the possibility of advancing to the Major League in the future.
When asked by reporters about Saiki's possible challenge to the Major League, Kim Hye-sung smiled and said, "I'm not a perfect major leaguer yet. "It's just the beginning of the challenge," he said, lowering himself and adding, "If you're a pitcher like Psy, you'll be able to do it in the Major League." I'm rooting for you to succeed," he even said.
When the information was reported through local Japanese media, Japanese fans are simply enthusiastic. The related articles of Yahoo Japan, Japan's largest portal, were followed by comments such as "A Dodgers player might be arrogant, but his personality is more of a major leaguer than his ability," and "I saw true sportsmanship in the way he sincerely praised the opposing pitcher even after being struck out."
Kim Hye-sung then seems to have adjusted through strikeouts. He said, "I try to think that I've got all the strikeouts I'm going to get in the practice game today. He did not lose his unique positive smile, saying, "I will definitely show you the results in the finals." When asked if he was in contact with Yamamoto, who is known as a teammate and best friend of the Dodgers, he even took it tactfully, saying, "No comment." In the end, Kim Hye-sung, who failed to hit a hit on the 2nd, hit a hit in a good mood against the Orix Buffaloes on the 3rd, added a walk to achieve multiple on-base hits, and headed to Tokyo, the showdown site, in a good mood.
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*This content was translated by AI.
