Hyeseong Kim made clear he wants to get the start at second base with Tommy Edman still recovering from surgery.
If he keeps crushing home runs off of the reigning World Series MVP, he won’t have a hard time making his case.
On Tuesday morning, Kim faced Yoshinobu Yamamoto and smashed an opposite field home run.
The homer drew oohs from the crowd in attendance, followed by a round of applause.
Kim’s Prospects of Getting the Second Base Job
Kim came into spring training with the goal of winning the second-base job in Edman’s absence.
“Yeah of course,” Kim said. “As a baseball player it’s something I’ve always dreamed of. To start on an Opening Day roster at second base. That’s why I worked hard in the offseason for it and hopefully the results show.”
He’s not alone in wanting that spot, however.
Manager Dave Roberts said Kim is “in the mix,” but so too are Miguel Rojas, Alex Freeland and the recently signed Santiago Espinal.
Rojas and Espinal bring years of MLB experience to the table, while Kim and Freeland are both beginning their second seasons in the majors.
Kim, Rojas and Freeland all saw time at second base for the Dodgers in 2025.
How Long Will the Second Base Job Be up for Grabs?
Edman is set to miss Opening Day for sure, though how much longer he remains out is yet to be seen.
Thus far, Edman has taken some swings on both sides of the plate and done some jogging and skipping as well, Roberts said.
“It takes a while to get your body into baseball shape, so we’re not going to rush it. We want to put him in the best position,” he said.
Edman also said he’s taking things slowly, noting that the true test of his recovery will be when he tries to suddenly accelerate or change directions at high speed, as he would as a baserunner.
Thus far, though, there haven’t been any setbacks, he said.
“That’s gonna be the main thing, just making sure that I keep on progressing and don’t have any issues bouncing back the way I do it,” he said.