Dodgers' Hyeseong Kim Earns Praise From Dave Roberts After Strong Start

Right before the Opening Day roster was announced for the Los Angeles Dodgers, many fans believed that infielder Hyeseong Kim deserved to be on the team.

After all, Kim put together a very nice spring performance that saw him hit .407 with one home run and six runs batted in across nine games.

However, Los Angeles picked infielder Alex Freeland over him, sending Kim to the minor leagues. Kim didn't let the move get him down, and he continued to produce in the minors. This left some wondering if the Dodgers were wasting the potential of Kim by keeping him out of the majors.

In six games in Triple- A, Kim hit .346 with two RBIs and 11 runs scored. It was the type of performance that typically warrants a call-up to the big leagues.

An injury to star shortstop Mookie Betts has now given Kim that opportunity in the majors with Los Angeles, and he will have a longer chance to prove himself. Betts is expected to be out for at least four weeks, with Kim splitting time at shortstop with Miguel Rojas.

Kim started two games for the Dodgers in their series against the Toronto Blue Jays, and performed well. The infielder caught the attention of manager Dave Roberts, with Roberts throwing some praise on him.

“For me, it looks good,” Roberts said. “I think he’s into the ground much better. I think the swing decisions are better mechanically. It looks great.”

Overall, Kim has appeared in three games for the Dodgers, hitting .429 with three hits and two walks. Kim has made a strong impression in his return to the big leagues, and this is exactly what the Dodgers need from him while Betts is out.

Kim has even flashed the glove in his return, making a very nice basket catch against the Blue Jays. If the infielder can continue to play strong defense while hitting well, his time in the big leagues could last well beyond Betts' eventual return.

A really impressive first start of 2026 for Hyeseong Kim, both offensively and defensively.

He went 2-for-4 with two singles, a walk and a run scored.

He also made this defensive play at shortstop for the Dodgers:pic.twitter.com/kJtgbopMYU
— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) April 7, 2026

While Kim is not Betts, he does have the ability to help keep this team going while the star remains out. Kim has experience playing in the big leagues, as he made his MLB debut last season for Los Angeles.

In that time, the infielder hit .280 with three home runs and 17 runs batted in, playing in 71 games. Kim worked all offseason to get better at his craft, and so far, it has panned out for him.

The Dodgers will take everything day-by-day with Kim, but the team does seem encouraged by his performance. Kim has given Los Angeles some peace of mind with Betts out, and the hope is that he will continue to produce at a high level.

Rojas started Wednesday's series finale against the Blue Jays despite mourning the sudden loss of his father. It remains to be seen whether or not Rojas will go on the bereavement list. If he does, Kim will need to fill in as the full-time shortstop for the time being.