The Los Angeles Dodgers optioned infielder Hyeseong Kim to Triple-A Oklahoma City ahead of their series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
In a corresponding move, the Dodgers re-signed infielder Santiago Espinal, who cleared waivers and declared free agency after LA designated him for assignment to make room for Kiké Hernández. Hernandez is now on the injured list after suffering a “significant tear” in his oblique.
Since Kim came up to the majors towards the beginning of April, he has slowly declined after a strong return to MLB. Kim had an OPS north of .800 with a few games left in April, but hasn’t managed to contribute much offensively since. He heads back to Oklahoma City with a .651 OPS and a slugging percentage nearly identical to his on-base percentage.
How Did Santiago Espinal Perform With the Dodgers?
Espinal broke camp with the Dodgers after a torrid spring campaign, during which he batted .378 with a 1.059 OPS, but failed to perform to the same standards upon the start of the regular season.
He featured in 26 games for the Dodgers before they DFA’d him, and he managed just nine hits in 41 at-bats for a .220 batting average. Espinal hit one homer and drove in four RBIs during his previous stint with the Dodgers, as well as an OPS just over .600.
Formerly an All-Star, the Dodgers will hope Espinal can find his rhythm at the plate and continue playing above average defense when he sees the field.
Who Will Replace Hyeseong Kim at Second Base?
The Dodgers have a multitude of middle infielders to select from since Alex Freeland’s return to the majors, and Kim found himself as the odd man out after his return. Freeland will likely take over most of the opportunities at second base, which is how the Dodgers handled things last time he was in Los Angeles.
Freeland’s bat has been pretty similar to Kim’s this year, but a fantastic 11-game stretch in the minors saw him get called up fairly quickly after being sent down. He has a plus glove at second base, having a 90th-percentile plus-3 outs above average on the season, as well as a plus-3 fielding run value.
Do you think the Dodgers made the right move?