[MyDaily = Reporter Kim Jin-seong] “We want him to get back to his early‑season form.”
The Dodgers’ decision to option 27‑year‑old Kim Hye‑seong to Triple‑A was hardly a surprise — his bat cooled in May after a strong April. What raised eyebrows was who took his spot in the big leagues: Santiago Espinal, a player who’d just been designated for assignment.
Put bluntly, the move implies the Dodgers rate Kim below Espinal. Espinal has earned his opportunities, but he arrived on a minor‑league deal this season. No matter how the team views Kim’s 3+2‑year, 22 million USD (approximately 29,333,333,333 KRW) contract, being passed over by a minor‑league signee is a significant statement.
Manager Dave Roberts told U.S. outlets that Kim’s swing has shifted in a negative way from his early‑season mechanics. General manager Brandon Gomes told The Athletic on May 31 that he hopes “Kim gets back to his early‑season form.”
Gomes added, “There were a few elements to his hitting setup, and he’s begun to look a bit more like he did last year. I thought he worked well in Triple‑A when he first showed up. So I hope he rebuilds that early‑season form in Oklahoma City with the hitting coach.”
Roberts and Gomes aren’t wrong about the mechanics. The real question is why the work has to happen in Oklahoma City rather than with the big‑league club. That choice signals the Dodgers don’t see Kim as an everyday option. If he’s falling behind Espinal, it suggests his value to the roster as even a backup is limited.
Players belong where their value is recognized — and if the Dodgers aren’t going to give Kim that chance, a trade might be the best outcome. U.S. outlets report the Dodgers are active in a trade market that includes Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers. Moving Kim could make sense; Detroit has veteran middle infielders, but perhaps not the same level of roster rigidity as L.A.
There’s also concern about how the demotion will affect Kim’s confidence. Through 43 games he’s hitting 0.259 with 1 home run, 11 RBIs, 16 runs, 5 steals and a 0.651 OPS — numbers that don’t pop next to the Dodgers’ star power. Still, given the size of his contract, the club’s expectations feel unusually high.
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