Could Kim Hye-seong be traded? The calm before the storm: Dodgers say, "We won't touch the core roster..."

*This content was translated by AI.

As the Major League Baseball (MLB) trade deadline approaches, the Los Angeles Dodgers' calculations are becoming increasingly complex. While they have acquired "elite" left-handed starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (30) and maintain their stance of preserving the core MLB roster structure, there is no indication that they are ruling out behind-the-scenes efforts to streamline minor league depth and efficiently allocate overburdened utility resources.

According to U.S. media outlets such as Dodgers Beat, which primarily cover Dodgers news, Dodgers Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman stated at a press conference on the 3rd (Korea time) that while it is true they have fewer options for acquiring another big-name player, he did not completely rule out the possibility of additional trades.

Amid this "calm before the storm" atmosphere, local attention is focusing on potential trade cards that allow the Dodgers to reconfigure their roster without compromising their core talent. Left-handed pitchers who can move between starting and relief roles, such as Eric Lauer (31), outfielders like Alex Col (32), and Korean infielder Kim Hye-seong (27) are consistently mentioned as potential trade candidates. Outfielder Ryan Ward (28) is also in the same category.

The resources most likely to appear on the trade table first are pitcher Eric Lauer and outfielder Alex Col. Lauer has demonstrated his ability to handle innings by alternating between starting and relief roles, while Col, a valuable resource for outfield depth, is reportedly drawing consistent interest from other teams seeking to bolster their depth. These players represent realistic trade options that allow the Dodgers to secure promising prospects or needed bullpen arms while minimizing losses to their first-division roster. Notably, there were even reports that the Texas Rangers had previously made contact regarding a potential trade for Col.

Ward and Kim Hye-seong are also classified as players who may need to be traded. Given that this season's Dodgers big-league roster is so deep with talented players, it has been difficult for them to get called up. Therefore, one option being considered is including them in a package deal alongside Lauer or Col. Naturally, Korean baseball fans are closely watching Kim Hye-seong's future.

From the Dodgers' perspective, using Kim Hye-seong as a trade asset could yield practical benefits by allowing them to acquire "fresh bullpen resources" or another promising prospect without depleting their big-league roster. Ultimately, they must also consider optimizing depth for future seasons. Attention is focused on the Dodgers' final decision to maximize depth efficiency while minimizing losses to their core talent.

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*This content was translated by AI.