Wow, LAD's 'real' trade broke out because of Kim Hye-sung → Even the general manager who changed his words, why expectations for the main second baseman are growing

Was it really Kim Hye-seong (26, LA Dodgers)? With the sudden trade of Gavin Lux (28), a rival for the position, expectations are growing for Kim to become the starting second baseman in the 2025 season.

The official website of the Major League Baseball (MLB) MLB.com said on Sunday (Korea time) that the Cincinnati Reds acquired Lux, who can play second and outfielder positions, from the Dodgers. With this accomplishment, the Cincinnati Reds have successfully strengthened their offensive capabilities. On the other hand, the Dodgers will receive rookie nomination rights with Mike Cirota, a 22-year-old promising player.메이저사이트

Will Kim Hye-sung really make a leap forward as second baseman of the Dodgers? The timing is quite coincidental. Rumors of a trade with Lux have been spreading steadily until Kim Hye-sung moved to the Dodgers. And when Kim joined the Dodgers, Lux eventually left the team. There would be no reason for the Dodgers, which also won the World Series, to abandon its main second baseman. Overall, it should be seen that Lux's trade is in line with the acquisition of Kim Hye-sung.

Lux made his big league debut in 2019 wearing the LA Dodgers uniform. His main position was second baseman. Lux played the Dodgers' main second baseman in the 2024 season.

Lux played in 23 games in the 2019 season and 19 games in the 2020 season, respectively. He then started playing in 102 games in the 2021 season, and started playing in the big leagues in earnest. In the 2022 season, he played in 129 games with a batting average of 0.276 (116 hits in 421 times at bat), six home runs, two doubles, seven triples, 42 RBIs and 66 runs, 47 walks, 95 strikeouts, seven steals (two failed), and on-base percentage of 0.346 with a 0.399 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) of 0.745.

However, Lux lost the entire season due to injury. He was ruled out for the season after suffering a cruciate ligament injury during an exhibition game with the San Diego Padres ahead of the 2023 season. After undergoing surgery, he focused on rehabilitation and returned to the team in 2024. Was it because of the aftermath of the injury? While playing 139 games in the 2024 season, he recorded a batting average of 0.251 (110 hits in 439 at-bats), 10 homers, two doubles, 24 triples, 50 RBIs, 59 runs, 44 walks, 110 strikeouts, and 5 steals (failed twice) with a 0.320 slugging percentage of 0.383 and an OPS of 0.703. His batting average was also lower than that of the 2022 season, while his OPS also fell. He also mostly played second base on defense. He played second base in 138 games (1,053 ⅓ innings) last season, and only played in one game (one ⅓ inning) as a shortstop. He made nine mistakes last season.

In the end, the Dodgers no longer had any regrets about Lux. It said there would be no trade but boldly made him do so. According to the U.S. media ESPN, Dodgers General Manager Brandon Gomes vowed that Mookie Betts is still the starting shortstop and Lux is the starting second baseman even after recruiting Kim Hye-sung. As a result, he changed his words after Lux left the team.


ESPN rated the Luxe trade as a B grade and said, "As the Dodgers sent Luxe, it received a rookie draft pick and a prospect who is still far from the big league. This deal means at least a change of plan." The media also praised Kim Hye-sung as the starting second baseman of the Dodgers. "Even if he is not a starter, he can play an important role in the roster."

Another media outlet, The Athletic, said, "With the recruitment of Kim Hye-sung, Dodgers' center infielder has become abundant. Kim Hye-sung is an infielder in his mid-20s like Lux. He is also a left-handed hitter, but Lux underwent knee surgery in 2023. There could be problems with his flagship." In the end, since he recruited Kim Hye-sung, a batter of the same type as Lux, he was able to send Lux without regret.

Kim Hye-sung signed a three-year $12.5 million guarantee contract with the Dodgers on the 4th and finally achieved his dream of entering the U.S. It was true that there was a question mark on the main competition for Kim Hye-sung to join the Dodgers. That's because the Dodgers, which won the 2024 World Series, already have a thick infield depth. Lux was holding on to the second base position, and the Dodgers have plenty of backup infield resources such as Miguel Rojas, Tommy Hyun-soo Edman, and Chris Taylor.

ESPN said, "Kim Hye-sung will show his contact ability along with his performance that is not much different from Lux's on-base percentage," adding, "Kim Hye-sung's defense is excellent. He can also score much more stolen bases than Lux." However, the media added, "It applies to all batters who have played in the KBO League, but there may be risks in terms of offense."

As the media explained, Kim boasts outstanding contact skills. She won the Golden Glove for shortstop in 2021, the Golden Glove for second baseman in 2022 and 2023, and the Golden Glove for fourth consecutive year. In the history of the KBO league, Kim is the only player who has won the Golden Glove in both shortstop and second baseman categories. She also has defense capability. She also received the honor in the second baseman category, which was established in 2023. She also has good base running ability. She has recorded more than 20 steals every season since the 2018 season. In the 2021 season, she made a whopping 46 steals. She also marked 30 steals last year.

It is also encouraging that Kim is still young. ESPN reported that the Dodgers gave way to Kim by sending Lux as a trade. While giving dynamism to the roster, it has even acquired promising players for the future. The trade of the main second baseman is certainly a boon for Kim's competition to become a starting pitcher. Of course, he will have to prove his capability in the exhibition game of the spring camp to catch Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. Korean fans are increasingly looking forward to Kim.

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