Could it be that weaknesses are already exposed? LA Dodgers' Kim Hye-sung (26) confirmed the task of dealing with breaking balls with three consecutive Samjin strikeouts.

Kim Hye-sung started as the eighth batter and second baseman in the away game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, on the 9th (Korean time), recording no hits in four at-bats, including three consecutive Samjin strikeouts.

Kim Hye-sung, who recorded hits in three consecutive games against the Miami Marlins from the 6th to the 8th, faced his first setback on this day, with his season batting average dropping from .417 to .313 (5 hits in 16 at-bats).

Batters can’t perform well every day, but the performance on this day was not good. He struck out three times in a row against Arizona's starting pitcher, right-hander Brandon Pott. In the second at-bat, while he was disappointed with the umpire's ball call, he was completely overwhelmed by breaking balls with five swings and misses over three at-bats.

In the first at-bat of the second inning, with a 1-1 ball count, he swung and missed at the third pitch, a low outside four-seam fastball at 94.9 mph (152.7 km/h), and then was caught looking at the sinking fastball that came in low and inside at 94 mph (151.3 km/h) on the fourth pitch.

Then in the fifth inning, he was called out on a swinging Samjin strikeout after a questionable ball decision. Kim Hye-sung found himself in a disadvantageous count after two consecutive pitches just off the outer part of the strike zone being called strikes. He fouled off the third pitch, a sinking fastball, but failed to connect with a changeup that dropped low and outside on the fourth pitch.

In the seventh inning, he swung and missed three times. After swinging and missing at the first pitch, a low curve from Pott, Kim Hye-sung took the second pitch, a low outside changeup, for a ball, but whiffed again on the third pitch, another flowing outside changeup. He finished by swinging and missing at the low inside curve on the fourth pitch.

The broadcasting crew of the Dodgers' dedicated channel, SportsNet LA, pointed out Kim Hye-sung's issues during his seventh at-bat. Commentator Steven Nelson said, "Kim Hye-sung hit .270 (6 hits in 29 at-bats) during 15 games in spring training, and he struck out 11 times in 33 at-bats. He started the season in Oklahoma City (Triple-A) focusing on a lower body-centered swing, ensuring his body doesn't open up too early. However, now he is chasing low pitches and striking out. This was his third time today."

Eric Karros, a former Dodgers first baseman and analyst who won the National League (NL) Rookie of the Year award in 1992 with 284 career home runs, commented, "This is exactly the problem. He's expanding the strike zone and swinging at pitches outside the zone. He hit .255 in Oklahoma City and displayed really hot hitting in Florida, but opposing teams are starting to prepare for Kim Hye-sung," indicating that targeting his weaknesses has begun.

Although he hasn’t played many games yet, opposing teams seem to have begun to exploit Kim Hye-sung's weakness against low breaking balls. Although Pott pitched excellently, allowing four hits, three walks, and striking out six without allowing a run in 6⅓ innings, it has become clear that Kim Hye-sung's adjustments are needed as four of his five swings and misses were against breaking balls.

In his final at-bat in the ninth inning, Kim Hye-sung connected with a slider that entered the high strike zone on the fifth pitch from right-hander Kevin Ginkel, hitting a sharp line drive to the right. Although it was caught by the fielder and resulted in an out, it showed that he can produce a good hit even against breaking balls when they are in the zone.

Karros also said, "It was a good swing from Kim Hye-sung, even though he was out. He made solid contact on the ball during a two-strike situation but wasn’t fortunate."

[OSEN]