Despite pulling off a historic performance during the Dodgers’ 18-2 rout of the Yankees on Saturday, Hyeseong Kim found himself benched for the series finale. In his place, Miguel Rojas started at shortstop, batting ninth, even with Mookie Betts out of the lineup.
The result? A frustrating 7-3 loss. Rojas went 0-for-2, ending his second at-bat with a lineout that left runners stranded. Meanwhile, Shohei Ohtani, on deck at the time, never got a chance. Rojas holds a .244 OBP this season. Kim? A staggering .449 OBP.
A Benching That Makes No Sense
While Kim saw regular action during Tommy Edman’s stint on the injured list, he’s been pushed back to a bench role since Edman’s return. Even worse, Dave Roberts continues to prioritize Rojas, despite Kim being better both offensively and defensively.
This isn’t about disrespecting Rojas, but the numbers don’t lie. The Dodgers are falling back into a troubling habit: favoring veterans over impact players simply due to seniority. Kim deserves more.
A Better Offense with Kim in the Lineup
Hyeseong Kim has been quietly critical to the Dodgers’ bottom of the lineup. In just 22 games, he’s scored 13 runs. That includes five RBIs from Shohei Ohtani, two from Freddie Freeman, and two from Betts. Rojas? Just six runs scored all year, and a measly .216 average with a .237 OBP in the ninth spot.
Worse still, Rojas is batting .163 with a .182 OBP and seven strikeouts when there are runners on base. That’s exactly why Ohtani’s early-season RBI numbers were so low, the bottom of the lineup just wasn’t getting on base.
The Missed Opportunity
To the Dodgers’ credit, they eventually pulled Rojas for Kim in the later innings of Sunday’s game. Kim did strike out swinging in the eighth, but that one at-bat doesn’t erase his broader contributions. With Kim, the Dodgers statistically have a better chance to generate offense.
The Dodgers need to re-evaluate. Whether that means giving Rojas the Austin Barnes or Chris Taylor treatment, or simply making a subtle shift in playing time, something has to give. Prioritize Kim. Then Rojas.
Kim has done more than enough to earn his spot. Continuing to sideline him is not only unfair, it’s a tactical mistake that could cost the Dodgers in the long run.
