Lee Jung-hoo (San Francisco Giants) and Kim Hye-sung (Los Angeles Dodgers), who are close friends and entered professional baseball together as teammates on the Kiwoom Heroes, will meet in a Major League Baseball spring training game.

On the 2nd (Korean time), the Los Angeles Dodgers will play a 2025 Major League Baseball spring training game against the San Francisco Giants at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona.

Kim Hye-sung will start as the 8th shortstop in the lineup. Lee Jung-hoo will start as the 3rd center fielder. Lee Jung-hoo indicated his participation, stating, "I have to go meet my friend. I will be playing against the Dodgers."

The San Francisco lineup includes Grant McCray (right fielder), Luis Matos (left fielder), Lee Jung-hoo (center fielder), Yennar Encarnacion (designated hitter), Casey Schmidt (third baseman), Brett Wisely (second baseman), David Villar (first baseman), Max Stassi (catcher), and Christian Kos (shortstop).

On this day, the Dodgers will start Chris Taylor (third baseman), Freddie Freeman (designated hitter), Teoscar Hernandez (right fielder), James Outman (center fielder), Austin Barnes (catcher), Eddie Rosario (left fielder), David Bote (second baseman), Kim Hye-sung (shortstop), and Lockwood-Powell (first baseman).

The Dodgers' starting pitcher is Matt Sauer. He made his Major League debut last year in Kansas City, appearing in 14 games (16⅓ innings) with an earned run average of 7.71.

The starting pitcher for San Francisco is minor leaguer Carson Seymour. The right-handed pitcher recorded a 4.82 earned run average with a record of 7 wins and 10 losses in 29 games at Triple-A last year.

Lee Jung-hoo and Kim Hye-sung joined Nexen Heroes in 2017 and played together until the 2023 season. Lee Jung-hoo attempted to enter Major League Baseball through posting before the 2024 season and successfully signed a massive six-year, $113 million contract with the San Francisco Giants.

Kim Hye-sung realized his dream of entering the United States by signing a guaranteed three-year, $12.5 million contract with the Dodgers in early January, which could extend to a maximum of five years and $22 million.

Lee Jung-hoo alternates between the 3rd and 1st batter positions this year after batting leadoff last year. Kim Hye-sung is being utilized as a utility player, playing not only second base but also shortstop and center field.

In his second-year season, Lee Jung-hoo is shaking off the aftereffects of shoulder surgery from last year and almost fully regaining his previous form. In the first game of the spring training, he hit a bullet-like single on the first pitch of his first at-bat, and in the second game, he hit a home run.

Recently, he has reached base on walks, scoring in three consecutive games. In four spring training games, he has 9 at-bats with 2 hits (.222 batting average), 1 home run, 1 RBI, and 3 runs.

Kim Hye-sung is struggling in spring training as he is adjusting his batting form. He has appeared in 6 spring training games with 14 at-bats, 1 hit (.071 batting average), 2 walks, and 6 strikeouts.

Kim Hye-sung replaced a player in the game against the Los Angeles Angels the day before, going 0-for-2 with 2 strikeouts. In the 6th inning, against a right-handed pitcher, he swung and missed on an 80 mile per hour curveball on the first pitch. The second pitch was a splitter (86.5 mph) that just grazed below the strike zone, resulting in a 2-strike count. The third pitch was a bouncing ball followed by a swing and miss strikeout on the fourth pitch, a splitter (86.6 mph) that dropped outside.

In the 8th inning, facing a left-handed pitcher, he received an automatic strike on the first pitch due to a pitch clock violation. The second pitch was a high slider that caught the strike zone, and he was struck out on the third pitch on a slider that drifted outside.

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