'Swing and a miss—swing and a miss—swing and a miss': Kim Hye-seong strikes out three times, batting average falls below .300... 'Bets' imminent return brings urgent pressure [LAD Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

Kim Hye-seong (27, LA Dodgers) remained hitless, striking out three times. With Mookie Betts' return imminent, his consecutive hitless at-bats have left him in an awkward situation.

On the 11th (Korea time), Kim Hye-seong started at shortstop, batting eighth, in a home game against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, USA, during the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) season. He went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts.

Kim Hye-seong's season batting average dropped from 0.301 to 0.289 (76 at-bats, 22 hits) after going hitless on consecutive days. His on-base percentage and slugging percentage also fell from 0.366 and 0.411 to 0.353 and 0.395, respectively. His OPS (on-base plus slugging) stood at 0.748.

More painful than simply going hitless was striking out three times. He also struck out three times in the game against the New York Mets on the 16th of last month, but at that time he hit his first home run of the season with two RBIs, making this game different.

In the bottom of the second inning, with the Dodgers trailing 0-4 and two outs with no runners on base, Kim Hye-seong stepped up to the plate against starting pitcher Bryce Elder. He took a low inside four-seam fastball on the first pitch, then swung and missed at a high cutter on the third pitch and a low changeup on the fourth pitch with a 1-1 count, ending the at-bat with a strikeout.

In the fifth inning, Lee Jung-hoo also started at bat with two outs. He took the first pitch outside the zone, putting himself in a disadvantageous position, and failed to make contact with a slider dropping low in the zone on the second pitch and a changeup on the fifth pitch, striking out again.

Luck came in the seventh inning. With one out and a runner on first base, Kim Hye-seong faced Robert Suarez. After fouling off four consecutive pitches, the at-bat went to a full count. He also fouled off an outside 99 mph (159.3 km/h) pitch on the eighth pitch, but was awarded a walk due to catcher's interference. Alex Freeland's fly ball to left field and Shohei Ohtani's ground ball to first base did not result in any runs.

The Dodgers mounted a comeback in the eighth inning with a two-run home run by Max Muncy (his 10th of the season), but with Matt Olson's solo home run (14th) and Jorge Mateo's RBI single extending the lead to five runs, Kim Hye-seong stepped up to the plate again in the bottom of the ninth against reliever Raisel Iglesias.

With one out and no runners on base, Kim Hye-seong took a high outside four-seam fastball on the first pitch, fouled off a sinker on the second pitch, and then swung and missed at a 95.2 mph (153.2 km/h) four-seam fastball on the third pitch, striking out. Freeland's fly ball to left field ended the inning, and the Dodgers ultimately lost 2-7.

The Dodgers, now in a two-game losing streak, improved their record to 24 wins and 16 losses. The Atlanta Braves, on a two-game winning streak, improved to 28 wins and 13 losses, maintaining their commanding lead in the National League East division.

With Betts' return scheduled, Kim Hye-seong faces urgent pressure. Betts was placed on the injured list in April due to a right oblique strain, and Kim Hye-seong seized the opportunity to fill the Dodgers' shortstop position. His batting average, which had soared to 0.357 last month, has now fallen into the .200s. According to local media, Betts is expected to return in the game against the San Francisco Giants on the 12th. Once Betts returns, Kim Hye-seong is likely to see opportunities as a pinch hitter, defensive replacement, pinch runner, and occasionally as a starter depending on the situation, making it even more critical to maintain good hitting form.

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*This content was translated by AI.