ATLANTA — The Los Angeles Dodgers have recalled South Korean All-Star Hyeseong Kim, choosing to place second baseman Tommy Edman on the injured list to accommodate the change. Kim, who signed a three-year contract worth $12.5 million with the Dodgers on January 3, began this season with the Triple-A Oklahoma City team.
Tommy Edman, second on the team with eight home runs and 24 RBIs, has been placed on the 10-day injured list retroactively from Wednesday. This decision follows Edman missing two games due to a sore right ankle. Manager Dave Roberts noted that even after Edman ran on Friday, he was still experiencing discomfort and was not ready to play in Saturday night’s game against the Atlanta Braves. Roberts anticipates Edman will only need the minimum time on the injured list.
Edman’s situation presented an opportunity for Kim to step up and make his major league debut on Saturday night, as he took to second base during the ninth inning in a solid 10-3 win. “I’ll figure it out to see if there’s an opportunity to start,” Roberts stated ahead of the game while also mentioning the potential roles Kim could fill, such as coming off the bench and covering various positions.
Chris Taylor was chosen to start at second base in a game that faced a 3-hour, 6-minute delay due to weather conditions, including rain and lightning. The Dodgers’ decision to bring up Kim is also influenced by his capability as a middle infielder, outfielder, and pinch runner, which adds depth to the roster in what Roberts describes as potentially a brief period in the majors for Kim.
Hyeseong Kim, who is 26 years old, has spent eight seasons playing in South Korea, the last six with the Kiwoom Heroes based in Seoul. In his time with Oklahoma City, Kim played 28 games, achieving a .252 batting average, five home runs, 19 RBIs, and stealing 13 bases.