He is the terrifying No. 9 batter. Kim Hye-seong (26) of the Los Angeles Dodgers exploded for his first triple in Major League Baseball (MLB) debut, contributing two RBIs. He displayed a great defensive play in center field but was replaced by a pinch hitter after just two at-bats.

On the 9th (Korea time), Kim Hye-seong started as the No. 9 batter in center field in the away game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Bush Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, and recorded 2 at-bats and 1 hit with 2 RBIs.

Returning to play after 4 games, Kim Hye-seong extended his hitting streak to two consecutive games following 2 hits and 1 stolen base in 4 at-bats against St. Louis on the 8th, raising his season batting average from .411 to .414 (24 hits in 58 at-bats). His OPS also climbed from .994 to 1.029. Despite limited playing opportunities, he is maintaining an impressive batting average above .400.

The starting pitcher for St. Louis was right-hander Michael McGreevy, a promising player who was drafted in the first round as the 18th overall pick in 2021. After his MLB debut last year, he recorded 4 wins, no losses, an earned run average of 1.57, and 23 strikeouts over 5 games (3 starts and 28 and two-thirds innings). This year marked his second appearance of the season and his first start.

The Dodgers took on McGreevy in the top of the second inning. After back-to-back hits from Max Muncy and Will Smith created a situation with one out and runners on first and third, Tommy Edman drove in the first run with a single to center field, and then Kim Hye-seong stepped up to the plate.

With a 1-1 count, he hit a high cutter at 89.3 mph (143.7 km/h) from McGreevy on the third pitch, sending it as a line drive that fell along the right field line. His powerful hit at 98.8 mph (159.0 km/h) brought home both runners Smith from third and Edman from first, becoming a two-RBI single. Sprinting at full speed, Kim Hye-seong slid headfirst into third base, marking a two-RBI triple that widened the score to 3-0. It was his first triple in Major League Baseball (MLB) debut.

In the top of the fourth with one out and a runner on second, he was struck out swinging. With a count of 2-2, his bat whiffed at McGreevy's fifth pitch, a high four-seam fastball clocked at 92.5 mph (148.9 km/h).

He also showed his presence in center field. In the bottom of the third inning, he chased down a deep fly ball hit by Mason Wynn that sailed to the left-center warning track. Kim Hye-seong caught the ball, colliding with the fence after the catch as he handled a hit at 97.2 mph (156.4 km/h). Pitcher Clayton Kershaw also raised his right arm to express his gratitude for Kim Hye-seong's excellent defense.

Despite his outstanding performance on both sides, Kim Hye-seong was replaced by pinch hitter Kiké Hernández before his third at-bat in the top of the seventh. As the right-hander McGreevy exited, left-hander John King came in, prompting Kim Hye-seong to be substituted for right-handed hitter Hernández. This year, Kim Hye-seong had only faced left-handed pitchers in two at-bats. Hernández grounded out to first base on the first pitch.

In this game, the Dodgers won 7-3. Starting pitcher Kershaw reported his first win of the season in his fifth appearance, pitching 5 innings with 6 hits allowed, no walks, 7 strikeouts, and allowing 1 run. He threw a maximum speed of 91.5 mph (147.3 km/h) with an average of 89.6 mph (144.2 km/h) including 32 four-seam fastballs, 33 sliders, 15 curves, and 2 splitters. His key slider was particularly effective, capturing 3 strikeouts on just 3 pitches.

In the batting lineup, Edman went 3 at-bats with 2 hits and 3 RBIs, Max Muncy had 2 hits in 4 at-bats, and Smith also had 2 hits in 5 at-bats for multi-hit performances. In the top of the seventh, Mookie Betts exploded his 9th home run of the season. Shohei Ohtani, who hit a double for his 10th of the season in the top of the first inning, succeeded in reaching base multiple times with 1 hit in 4 at-bats and 1 walk.

The Dodgers, who recently ended a two-game losing streak, improved to 39 wins and 27 losses (.591 winning percentage), maintaining first place in the National League (NL) West. Meanwhile, the St. Louis Cardinals, who ended their two-game winning streak, now stand at 36 wins and 29 losses (.554 winning percentage) in the NL Central.

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