For Dodgers' Hyeseong Kim, Opportunity Knocks At Second Base. 'just Trying To Get Better'

PHOENIX — With Tommy Edman opening nan play connected nan injured list, Hyeseong Kim is simply a premier campaigner to spot an uptick successful playing clip astatine 2nd guidelines for nan Dodgers successful nan coming season. On Tuesday, he further solidified his case.

With teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto throwing a unrecorded batting believe convention connected nan backfields astatine Camelback Ranch, Kim took nan World Series MVP connected an unexpected ride. On nan 16th transportation of Yamamoto’s unrecorded batting practice, Kim crushed an opposite-field location run, dazzling nan hundreds of Dodgers fans gathered to watch nan squad fresh itself for its first slate of accumulation games that statesman Saturday.

Kim’s location tally came aft watching Yamamoto locomotion Teoscar Hernández, induce a crushed shot from Andy Pages, and onslaught retired newcomer Kyle Tucker looking. However, Kim wasn’t vanished rather yet.

Yamamoto took a short break, arsenic Shohei Ohtani threw a information of batting believe himself. After Ohtani sewage his activity in, Yamamoto returned to nan mound, pinch Kim waiting for him successful nan batter’s box.

On nan 5th transportation of his 2nd at-bat versus Yamamoto, Kim ripped a guidelines deed to correct field. Yamamoto would spot 8 astatine bats connected nan day, logging 30 pitches. He allowed 3 hits, 2 of which came from Kim.

Kim said he tweaked his plaything past twelvemonth aft coming complete from nan KBO connected a three-year, $12.5 cardinal contract, and is continuing to advancement and consciousness much comfortable pinch nan adjustments he’s made.

“The plaything changes we made past year, I would opportunity I felt astir 70% comfortable with,” Kim said done an expert connected Monday. “And then, this offseason and outpouring training, we were capable to admit immoderate of nan different worldly that we needed to activity on, truthful I’m moving very difficult to make those changes again this year.”

As a rookie, he batted .280 pinch a .314 connected guidelines percentage, .699 OPS, 3 location runs and 17 RBI crossed 71 games. He began nan play successful Triple-A, earlier earning a promotion successful May. A near enarthrosis wounded would onshore him connected nan IL, limiting his clip successful his first large convention play — though he was patient capable to beryllium connected nan team’s postseason roster chiefly arsenic a late-inning protect replacement, playing 2nd guidelines erstwhile nan Dodgers closed retired their Game 7 World Series victory.

Kim besides mixed successful 17 games successful nan outfield to supply extent down Pages past season, and he knew his outfield defense would beryllium an offseason priority.

“I was alert that I needed to activity connected my halfway section and outfield defense,” Kim said. “Even without nan beforehand agency telling me, I knew that it was thing I needed to activity on, truthful I was going to activity connected it regardless.”

As he prepped for nan coming season, Kim focused connected his nutrition, upping his macromolecule intake and adding immoderate weight.

“I noticed that I mislaid a small spot of weight passim nan play and I wanted to make judge that I was gaining my weight backmost earlier nan play started,” Kim said. “So, I made judge to intake my proteins and my meals truthful that I was capable to summation 2-3 kilograms this offseason.”

With nan news that Edman is still connected nan mend from offseason ankle surgery, Kim stands to use successful position of playing clip but he says he’s not getting up of himself.

“I’m utilizing this clip — nan offseason and outpouring training — to conscionable get better,” Kim said. “Whether I play much aliases not, it doesn’t really impact maine much. I’m conscionable trying to get amended each day.”