Kim Hye-seong (27, LA Dodgers) has secured his spot. With competitor Alex Freeland (24) being optioned to Triple-A, the Dodgers’ broadcasters have heaped praise on the Korean infielder for surviving the MLB roster battle.

Before their game against the San Francisco Giants on May 12 (local time), the Dodgers activated shortstop Mookie Betts from the injured list after his oblique strain recovery, sending second baseman Freeland to Triple-A Oklahoma City. This meant Kim Hye-seong won the second round of competition, having lost the Opening Day roster spot to Freeland earlier.

Kim himself did not expect the decision. Dodgers play-by-play announcer Joe Davis of SportsNet LA shared during Kim’s at-bat in the fourth inning: “I asked him how nervous he was today. He said he was quite nervous and found out the news through the internet like everyone else. He was really surprised and said he thought he would be the one sent down.”

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Upon hearing this, analyst Orel Hershiser said, “Most players in that situation think they’ll be the one going down. It’s to protect themselves from disappointment. When you mentally prepare for a demotion and then hear good news, you get a surge of adrenaline instead of sadness,” understanding Kim’s mindset.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts explained the decision to send Freeland down: “Ultimately, Kim Hye-seong performed better. With the way he’s played, we felt it was the right choice to give him the opportunity. It felt like a fair decision. Freeland did everything we asked. He understood and accepted the situation, but it was a tough conversation.” Before his demotion, Freeland had been the starting second baseman, slashing .235/.298/.338 with 2 home runs and 8 RBIs over 33 games.

The move drew positive reactions. Norma Garciaparra, a two-time American League batting champion and Dodgers analyst for SportsNet LA, praised Kim on the pre-game broadcast: “I want to give credit to Kim Hye-seong. He outperformed Freeland in spring training but started the season in Oklahoma City. He apologized to fans for not playing well enough to make the roster, said he’d work hard in the minors and come back—and he did exactly that. He focused on improving, played well in Triple-A, and has continued to perform since being called up. He’s hitting close to .300, playing good defense, and proving once again he belongs here.”

Another analyst, former utility player Jerry Hairston Jr., emphasized Kim’s unique value: “I really hope Kim Hye-seong continues to do well because there’s no other player like him at the Dodgers’ Double-A, Triple-A, or MLB levels. His speed is unmatched. He can change the game just by getting on base, and that impacts the next batters like Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts.” Hairston added, “Kim is getting better and better. I hope he keeps improving. Again, there’s no one else like him on the Dodgers. When Tommy Edman comes back, there will be another decision to make, but Kim can come off the bench as a pinch runner, play shortstop, second base, or even outfield. So I want him to keep showing what he can do.”

On May 12, after securing his roster spot, Kim started at second base as the ninth hitter, going 0-for-2. In his first at-bat with a runner on second and no outs in the third inning, he swung at the first pitch and grounded out to third. After that at-bat, cameras caught Roberts speaking to him in the dugout. He struck out swinging in the fourth, and when the Giants brought in left-hander Matt Gage in the sixth, Kim was replaced by pinch-hitter Miguel Rojas.

This season, Kim is batting .282/.341/.388 with 1 home run and 8 RBIs over 30 games. Although his recent hitting has slowed—0-for-8 with 1 walk and 5 strikeouts over his last four games—his roster security means he doesn’t need to rush.

With Betts back, Kim will focus on his primary position of second base. Roberts announced that Kim and Rojas will form a platoon at second base for now. This gives Kim a chance to ease defensive pressure in a familiar role and rebuild his batting stroke.