I decided not to use him.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts received several questions from local reporters regarding Kim Hye-sung ahead of the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, on the 8th (Korea time).

On that day, Kim Hye-sung started in the 9th spot as the center fielder, marking his return to the starting lineup after four games. Tommy Edman also started as the second baseman.

Before the game on the 8th, Roberts explained in an interview with local media, "I put Edman at second base because of his ankle condition and used Kim Hye-sung in center field. When playing in the outfield, he has to cover a wide area and move a lot. It could be strenuous, so to protect Edman, I played him at second base and Kim Hye-sung in center field."

He went on to explain, "After talking to Edman, he said it felt normal to play as an infielder right now. He'll eventually return to the outfield, and we will have more discussions about that timeline." Kim Hye-sung was previously excluded from the starting lineup for three games. On the 4th, he started as the 9th second baseman in a home game against the New York Mets but complained of pain after being hit on the left ankle by his own foul ball in the 2nd inning. He could not complete the game and was substituted in the 7th inning.

The next day, on the 5th, Kim Hye-sung was excluded from the starting lineup as a precaution for his ankle. With both Tommy Edman and Kim Hye-sung's ankle conditions in doubt, the Dodgers called up Estuary Luis and James Outman from Triple-A ahead of the game on the 6th. However, both Kim Hye-sung and Edman noted, "They seem fine health-wise." This indicated that Kim Hye-sung's ankle condition had also improved.

Given that the starting pitcher for the Mets on the 6th was left-handed David Peterson, Roberts' decision to exclude him from the lineup was understandable based on his tendency to employ a platoon system. Kim Hye-sung did not step onto the field in the latter half of the game either.

However, on the 7th, Kim Hye-sung was again absent from the starting lineup against St. Louis. The starting pitcher for St. Louis that day was right-handed Sonny Gray. He also did not appear in the game. This marked the first time Kim Hye-sung missed three consecutive games since being called up to Major League Baseball on the 4th of last month.

In response to local reporters' questions about why Kim Hye-sung missed three games, Roberts said, "The first game was due to the ankle issue. I wanted him to rest a bit more. The second game was because of the left-handed starting pitcher." And regarding the third game, he said, "I simply decided not to use him and let him rest." It appears Kim Hye-sung is still falling behind in the priority list of manager Roberts and the Dodgers.

Despite this, Kim Hye-sung maintained his hitting form. Although he returned after four games, he had a performance of 2 hits in 4 at-bats and 1 stolen base that day. He faced Eric Fedi, the 2023 KBO League MVP and winner of the Triple Crown, Golden Glove, and Choi Dong-won Award. Fedi had been performing well, with a record of 3 wins and 5 losses and an earned run average of 3.85 over 12 games before that day.

Kim Hye-sung faced his first at-bat with no outs and no runners in the 3rd inning but ended up hitting a fly ball to center field. On a 1 ball, 1 strike count, he hit Fedi's 94.6 mile sinker but the ball was lifted. In the 5th inning, he battled Fedi with a full count. On the seventh pitch of the full count, Kim Hye-sung hit a cutter into left-center field for a hit that pierced the gap. He then successfully stole second base during Shohei Ohtani's at-bat, marking his 6th stolen base and keeping a 100% stolen base success rate. However, Kim Hye-sung popped up to center field, and Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman both grounded out to first base, resulting in no scoring.

Kim Hye-sung led off the 7th inning. He faced left-handed Steven Matz, but Roberts did not send in a pinch hitter and instead trusted Kim Hye-sung. In a 2 ball, 2 strike count against Matz, Kim Hye-sung connected with a 95.6 mile sinker and produced a ground ball that just cleared the pitcher's height. No infielders could catch it, resulting in a base hit, and Kim Hye-sung completed a multi-hit game.

Kim Hye-sung's season stats show a batting average of .411 with 23 hits in 56 at-bats, 2 home runs, 7 RBIs, 13 runs scored, 6 stolen bases, and an OPS of .995 over 25 games. Despite limited opportunities in just over a month since his big league call-up, Kim Hye-sung has been proving his abilities. However, even though he is wielding a batting average in the .400s, the reason he is not receiving proper opportunities is ultimately because he is on the Dodgers. The Dodgers have a roster full of superstars. When Kim Hye-sung signed with the Dodgers, there were considerable concerns about whether a spot would be available for him.

Ultimately, Kim Hye-sung's reality is that of a backup. Positions where Kim Hye-sung could play are occupied by starters Tommy Edman, Mookie Betts, and Andy Pahes. Pahes was in a similar position competing with Kim Hye-sung but has since evolved into a starting outfield player.

It has now been confirmed that Kim Hye-sung is not a priority. It has become important for Kim Hye-sung to not be discouraged by the current reality and to consistently demonstrate his presence in the occasional opportunities that arise.

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