MIAMI — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was honest when Hyeseong Kim arrived from Triple-A on Saturday.
It was going to be “potentially a short stint,” a chance to “get his feet wet” and see what big-league life is like for a week until Tommy Edman is ready to return from his ankle injury, possibly as soon as Saturday. Then Kim would go back to Triple-A Oklahoma City to play every day and continue adapting his swing to the challenges of playing in the United States.
“That’s the plan, yes,” Roberts said on Saturday.
What Kim did in Sunday’s game, however, might cause the Dodgers to at least consider altering that plan.
Kim entered the game in Atlanta as a pinch-runner with the Dodgers trailing by a run in the ninth inning. He stole second base then raced to third when Will Smith struck out on a pitch in the dirt, beating the throw from first to third.
Kim was stranded at third but his speed created a scoring opportunity that wouldn’t have materialized otherwise and it gave Roberts reason to think about what a weapon Kim could be off the bench.
“It’s definitely a thought,” Roberts said. “I think with Hyeseong, with young players, there’s always that dynamic of what in the short term can help the long run, and certainly his skill set plays to that. But then also the longer term, giving him the repetitions, the opportunity, to take as many at-bats (in the minors), to play defense, to get acclimated to American baseball – what kind of nets out most positive? And that’s kind of the discussion.”
Kim got his first major-league start in Monday’s game against the Miami Marlins.
Roberts called Kim’s swing changes “a work in progress” and it is clear the Dodgers do not think he is ready for an every-day role in the major leagues. Something would have to change in the makeup of the Dodgers’ bench (populated by veterans Chris Taylor, Kiké Hernandez, Austin Barnes and Miguel Rojas on most days) to create a spot for Kim once Edman returns.
“He’s such a good kid,” Roberts said of the 26-year-old Kim. “For him to get his first major-league start, I think we’re all excited as teammates. We saw a little bit (Sunday) of what he can bring as far as the athleticism, the speed. To get him a start, second base, and take some at-bats is exciting.”
SHORTEN UP
With the Dodgers playing on 10 consecutive days before their next off day (next Monday), Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki are scheduled to start Thursday and Friday – on five days of rest for each. It will be the first time this season the Dodgers will ask the pair of Japanese right-handers to pitch on less than six days of rest. Through the first six weeks of the season, the Dodgers kept the pair on a one-start-per-week schedule, similar to what they were used to in Japan.
“Yoshi I don’t think it’s going to be that significant because we did that last year,” Roberts said of Yamamoto, who made 11 of his 18 starts last season on five days of rest. “With Roki being a young pitcher and that being all he’s known (six days between starts), it’s going to be different. I know he’s excited about it. And really he initiated the conversation about when this was going to happen. … I think he’s looking forward to it.”
Sasaki threw 98 pitches in his most recent start, the most in his seven MLB starts as Roberts extended him to get through five innings and collect his first MLB win. Yamamoto only threw 91 pitches in his most recent start. Roberts pulled him after six one-hit innings in anticipation of Thursday’s start.
CHICKEN STRIP
Right-hander Ross Stripling announced his retirement on Monday.
Stripling, 35, was the Dodgers’ fifth-round draft pick out of Texas A&M in 2012. He made the majors in 2016, taking a no-hitter into the eighth inning in his big-league debut against the San Francisco Giants.
Stripling spent parts of five seasons with the Dodgers, making the National League All-Star team in 2018. He pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays, then-Oakland A’s and San Francisco Giants over the past five seasons. He signed a minor-league contract and went to spring training with the Kansas City Royals this year but was released when he didn’t make their season-opening roster.
UP NEXT
Dodgers (RHP Tony Gonsolin, 1-0, 4.50 ERA) at Marlins (RHP Cal Quantrill, 2-3, 8.31 ERA), Tuesday, 3:40 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM
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