Dodgers Appeared Set to Option Hyeseong Kim Before Kiké Hernandez Injury: Report

Los Angeles Dodgers utility man Kiké Hernandez is going to be placed on the injured list on Wednesday after making just four plate appearances this season.

While Hernandez's injury was simply devastating as he began the season on the injured list only to be sidelined again in his second game back, it appears to include a silver lining for infielder Hyeseong Kim.

Kim has endured a recent slump at the plate, recording just seven hits in his last 44 at-bats with 17 strikeouts and an OPS of just .399.

The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya reported the Dodgers appeared to be thinking about optioning Kim to the minor leagues before Hernandez's injury.

Alex Freeland, who was sent down when Mookie Betts returned while Kim remained in the big leagues, wasn't in Triple-A Oklahoma City's lineup on Tuesday night. Moreover, Ardaya reported Freeland was already traveling to Los Angeles when Hernandez got hurt.

"[Manager Dave] Roberts said the club will recall infielder Alex Freeland, who was out of the lineup Tuesday for Triple-A Oklahoma City and already en route to Los Angeles as the organization evaluated the slumping Hyeseong Kim’s tenuous place on the active roster, league sources told The Athletic," Ardaya wrote.

Entering the series against the Rockies, Kim was well aware his roster spot was in jeopardy as the Dodgers considered optioning him to make space on the roster for Hernandez.

“He’s back to chasing,” Roberts said. “He’s passive when he shouldn’t be, and then he’s getting into bad counts. I don’t know if it’s a mechanical thing. But he’s been grinding the last — quite honestly, the last month it’s been kind of tough for him.”

"He’s preparing and competing," Roberts added, "but right now, it’s just not working.”

The Dodgers ultimately chose to designate Santiago Espinal for assignment, which made the most sense given Hernandez and Espinal are both right-handed bats who can play third base.

Hernandez's injury now gives Kim another chance at maintaining a roster spot. The infielder began the season in the minors after he lost the spring competition to Freeland.

Kim, who had a hot start at Triple-A, earned a promotion early in the season due to Betts' injury. There was speculation he'd go back down to the minors once Betts returned, but the team chose to keep Kim in the big leagues and option Freeland instead.

Tommy Edman began a rehab assignment on Tuesday, so a roster spot will need to be made for him when he is ready to return. Kim will have to perform well in this next stretch of games to avoid a demotion.

“It’s my job to produce, so I’m always focused on producing numbers,” Kim said recently. “Given the [roster] situation, I’m not trying to think about it too much. Just keep working hard, and keep producing as best I can.”

With the injury to Hernandez, though, Kim seems to have more time to get back on track.

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