Kim Hye-seong (27) of the LA Dodgers continued her 100% success rate in Major League Baseball stolen bases. She has already made 12 successful steals without any failures.
On the 23rd (Korean time), Kim Hye-seong started as the 7th batter and second baseman in a home game against the Minnesota Twins at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles, California, recording 1 hit in 4 at-bats with 2 RBIs and 1 stolen base.
Her season batting average dropped from .320 to .317 (40 hits in 126 at-bats), but she broke a slump of 10 consecutive hitless at-bats and set the stage for a rebound. Additionally, with her 12th stolen base of the season, she demonstrated her value with the speed that the Dodgers lack.
Since the game against the Milwaukee Brewers on the 20th, Kim Hye-seong had been hitless in her last 8 plate appearances over 3 games. On this day, she was out in her first two at-bats as well. After a groundout to first base in the 2nd inning and a strikeout in the 4th, she extended her hitless streak to 10 at-bats but did not miss the opportunity with 2 outs and runners on 2nd and 3rd in the 6th inning. She connected with a low 99.3 mph (159.8 km/h) four-seam fastball from Minnesota right-handed reliever Lewis Thorpe, hitting a 2-RBI single to center field. It was a crucial hit as they trailed 5-6. It was her 15th RBI of the season.
The broadcast team from the Dodgers' dedicated network, SportsNet LA, also cheered at this moment. Commentator Orel Hershiser remarked, "In a declining batting situation, she had a groundout and a strikeout on a bunt attempt. But this time, she attacked the first pitch fastball with the barrel lower," praising Kim Hye-seong for her bold approach to the low pitch.
As Kim Hye-seong reached first base, caster Joe Davis said, "Kim Hye-seong has shown perfect speed in the Major Leagues. With the tying run at bat, Miguel Rojas stepped to the plate," shifting the focus to runner Kim Hye-seong.
When Thorpe threw his second pitch, Kim Hye-seong took off for second base. Minnesota catcher Christian Vazquez quickly threw the ball to second. As second baseman Willie Castro caught the one-hopped throw, he attempted to tag, but Kim Hye-seong made a headfirst slide and touched the base with her left hand first. It was her 12th stolen base of the season, maintaining her perfect success rate with 0 failures.
Hershiser said, "She showed speed that exceeds the combination of the pitcher's delivery time and the catcher's pop time. Maintaining her speed, she really flew between first and second base," expressing astonishment at Kim Hye-seong's explosive speed. Davis explained, "Kim Hye-seong attempted 13 steals in Triple-A Oklahoma City, succeeding in all, and has also succeeded in all 12 attempts in Major League Baseball."
Including her Triple-A record, she has a perfect 25 consecutive stolen bases with no failures. With a sprint speed of 28.7 feet per second (8.7m), Kim Hye-seong is in the top 14% of the Major Leagues, demonstrating exceptional skills in stealing bases and sliding techniques, which are made possible by her innate speed.
Even during her KBO League days, Kim Hye-seong was a player with a very high success rate in stolen bases. Since her debut in 2017, she has successfully stolen 211 bases over 8 seasons, with only 37 failures, achieving a success rate of 85.1%. Among the 107 players who have recorded over 100 stolen bases in their careers, she boasts one of the highest success rates, just behind Kim Ji-chan of the Samsung Lions (87.9%, 124 successful/17 failures).
Since coming to the U.S., she has maintained a 100% success rate, showcasing an even more upgraded base-running ability. Currently, among the 78 players in the Major Leagues recording double-digit stolen bases, only four have a 100% success rate: Byron Buxton (Minnesota Twins, 17), Trevor Story (Boston Red Sox, 17), George Springer (Toronto Blue Jays, 10), and Kim Hye-seong.
Kim Hye-seong's stealing ability has become an essential weapon for the Dodgers. With Shohei Ohtani, who stole 59 bases last year, reducing his steals to 13 this year as he resumes two-way play, others like Andy Pahes (8) and Mookie Betts (6) also possess stealing abilities, but their speeds are not as explosive as Kim Hye-seong's. With only a one-base difference from Ohtani, it is now just a matter of time before Kim Hye-seong becomes the team's leader in stolen bases.
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