New Dodger Kim Hye-seong says familiarity, World Series title made difference in negotiations

Kim Hye-seong from Kiwoom Heroes is in motion throughout a sport towards LG Twins in Seoul, Sept. 26, 2024. Newsis

Kim Hye-seong, the brand new South Korean infielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers, says familiarity with the crew and their current World Collection title lured him to Chavez Ravine over different locations throughout contract talks.

Kim, previously an All-Star second baseman with the Kiwoom Heroes within the Korea Baseball Group (KBO), signed a three-year deal for $12.5 million with the Dodgers final Friday. The Dodgers have a membership choice for 2 extra years that may enable Kim to make as much as $22 million complete. The deal was signed on the final day of Kim’s 30-day negotiating interval, after he was made out there for all 30 Main League Baseball (MLB) groups within the posting system.

The Seattle Mariners, the Chicago Cubs, the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Angels additionally made Kim a proposal. In response to sources, the Angels would have given Kim an opportunity to make as a lot as $28 million over 5 years, together with choice years, however Kim determined to signal with the Dodgers as an alternative.

In an interview with the Heroes‘ social media crew, posted on YouTube Tuesday night time, Kim was requested why he selected the Dodgers over different groups.

„There are various causes however the greatest of them is that they’re the Dodgers,“ Kim stated with a smile. „I used to be actually conversant in the crew as a result of I’ve watched a lot Dodgers baseball over time, with Park Chan-ho and Ryu Hyun-jin having performed there.“

Park turned the primary South Korean participant in MLB historical past when he made his debut with the Dodgers in 1994. Ryu pitched for the Dodgers from 2013 to 2019. The success of the 2 pitchers has helped flip the Dodgers into one of the crucial common MLB groups in South Korea.

„Additionally, they gained the World Collection title final 12 months,“ Kim continued. „My coronary heart leaned towards the Dodgers for these causes.“

This picture, captured from the official X web page of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Jan. 4, reveals the membership’s new Korean participant, Kim Hye-seong.

Earlier than getting posted, Kim traveled to Los Angeles in late November to arrange for the method and to coach at a facility organized for him by his U.S. company, Artistic Artists Company (CAA). And simply earlier than getting posted, Kim bumped into fellow CAA shopper and his future teammate, Shohei Ohtani.

„I instructed him I used to be going to be posted two days later, and he wished me good luck,“ Kim stated of his encounter with the reigning Nationwide League MVP. „I thanked him for that. And clearly, I did not know on the time we had been going to be teammates.“

Kim was staying in South Korea whereas the ultimate particulars of the contract had been being hammered out. He stated he needed to keep up till 4 a.m. Saturday to remain involved along with his agent and did not go to sleep till 5:30 a.m.

He solely acquired a few hours of shuteye earlier than waking as much as a deluge of messages congratulating him on the deal.

„I’ve by no means obtained extra messages in my life earlier than,“ Kim stated with a smile. „And it is lastly dawning on me that I’ve signed with the Dodgers. And I do know my followers have been with me by the journey to date, and I’ll do the perfect I can in America for these followers.“ (Yonhap)