The Los Angeles Dodgers' Kim Hye-sung's chances of surviving in Major League Baseball are steadily decreasing. Competitors who must compete for roster spots in similar positions are making a distinct impression.

On the 28th (Korean time), the specialized outlet covering Dodgers news, Dodger Nation, made five bold predictions regarding the Dodgers' Opening Day roster, stating first that "Kim Hye-sung will begin the season in the minor leagues."

With just three weeks left until the Dodgers start the season in Japan, the outlet predicted five aspects of how the Opening Day roster competition is progressing and how it will affect the roster.

Dodger Nation noted regarding Kim Hye-sung, "Just a week ago, it wasn't so bold, but considering Kim Hye-sung's three-year, $12.5 million contract, it's still surprising. The Dodgers know that he needs to adapt to Major League pitching. They expect that Kim Hye-sung will go through the adaptation process in the minor leagues."

Kim Hye-sung is struggling in the spring training exhibition games. He has appeared in five games with one hit in 12 at-bats, two walks, five strikeouts, and a batting average of .083. His only hit was an infield single made with his speed. There were no solid hits that reached the outfield.

Above all, Kim Hye-sung is leaving a disappointing impression in terms of his exit velocity. Locally, it is pointed out that Kim Hye-sung has only one strong hit of over 95 miles per hour (about 152.9 km).

There are excuses for Kim Hye-sung. Immediately upon the start of spring training, the Dodgers organization has completely overhauled his hitting mechanics and form. It's part of the adaptation process to a new batting stance. It's a modification of mechanics to adjust to Major League pitchers' fastballs.

After the game against the Milwaukee Brewers on the 27th, Kim Hye-sung spoke with OSEN in the clubhouse about the process of modifying his batting form, saying, "There are changes in my swing path, and my lower body is also undergoing quite a bit of change," and added, "Even if I’m changing a lot, there’s no helping it. It’s because it's not going well that I need to change."

Regarding the current process, he shook his head, saying, "It's not easy," and added, "I feel like I'm getting a little better, but since the results aren't coming, it seems like human emotions are not that easy." Although the solid contact is increasing, the frustration mounts as it doesn't translate into hits.

The outlet predicts that if Kim Hye-sung starts the season in the minor leagues, Tommy Edman will play as the starting second baseman, and Andy Pahes will take on the center fielder position. Dodger Nation reported, "If Kim Hye-sung goes to the minor leagues, Lux will no longer be there following a trade to Cincinnati, creating an urgent demand for a second baseman. Edman, who is expected to be the center fielder this year, will end up playing second base."

It continued, "While Kim Hye-sung secures his place in the minor leagues, Edman will return to the infield, and Pahes will get many opportunities as a center fielder. If Edman plays as a center fielder, Kiké Hernández and Chris Taylor will get opportunities at second base."

The outlet stated, "If Kim Hye-sung starts the season in the minor leagues, Pahes, who hit a home run on the 27th (against Milwaukee), will have a chance to stay with the Dodgers. Pahes appeared in 116 games last year, hitting 13 home runs, 46 RBIs, an OPS of .712, and a batting average of .248."

As Kim Hye-sung struggles to survive in Major League Baseball, classified as the starting second baseman and infield utility resource, other roster competitors are exhibiting impressive performances. Veteran infielder Miguel Rojas has a spring training batting average of .500 (5 hits in 10 at-bats), with 1 home run and 3 RBIs. Original utility player Chris Taylor is also showing good performance with a batting average of .273 (3 hits in 11 at-bats). Outfielder Andy Pahes also activated his home run button, while Eddie Rosario, mentioned by the outlet as an invited player, can serve as a left-handed option to replace Kim Hye-sung, currently batting .200 (2 hits in 10 at-bats) with 1 home run and 3 RBIs.

[OSEN]