[Breaking News] "Amazing" Kim Hye-seong dramatically stays in the majors → Immediately starts against the Rockies! Manager Roberts' trust is that deep.

*This content was translated by AI.

LA Dodgers utility player Kim Hye-seong (27) has dramatically remained in the major leagues and has immediately seized another starting opportunity.

The Dodgers will play a 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) regular-season home game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, USA, at 10:10 a.m. Korean time on the 26th.

For this game, the Dodgers started right-handed pitcher Emmett Shehan. The batting order was Shohei Ohtani (designated hitter), Mookie Betts (shortstop), Freddie Freeman (first baseman), Andy Paredes (center fielder), Kyle Tucker (right fielder), Teoscar Hernández (left fielder), Will Smith (catcher), Kim Hye-seong (second baseman), and Kike Hernández (third baseman).

It is notable that Kim Hye-seong is starting as the second baseman and batting eighth.

Facing the Dodgers, Colorado will start right-handed pitcher Tanner Gordon. Their starting lineup consists of Jake McCarthy (center fielder), Hunter Goodman (catcher), T.J. Rumfield (first baseman), Tyler Freeman (right fielder), Troy Johnston (left fielder), Willie Castro (second baseman), Ezekiel Tovar (shortstop), Sterling Thompson (designated hitter), and Kyle Caruso (third baseman).

Kim Hye-seong dramatically managed to stay on the roster despite Kike Hernández's (35) return to the first-team roster. Instead, the Dodgers placed veteran infielder Santiago Espinal (32), an All-Star, on designated for assignment (DFA) status.

Earlier, U.S. media outlet The Athletic reported that "Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had to have a difficult conversation regarding Kim Hye-seong and Espinal before Kike's return." The Dodgers then chose to keep Kim Hye-seong and placed Espinal on DFA.

Kim Hye-seong has appeared in 40 games this season, recording a .255 batting average (28 hits in 110 at-bats), 1 home run, 3 doubles, 1 triple, 10 RBIs, 13 runs scored, 11 walks, 30 strikeouts, 5 stolen bases (1 failed), a .320 on-base percentage, a .327 slugging percentage, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.647.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers have recorded 33 wins and 20 losses this season, holding sole first place in the National League West Division. In contrast, Colorado sits in fifth place in the same division with 20 wins and 34 losses. The gap between the two teams is 13.5 games.

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*This content was translated by AI.