"Can this be true?" Kim Hyesung faces a major setback! Kiké, despite elbow surgery, will stay with the Dodgers for 1 year and 650 million won → KIM is again at risk of falling back to backup status.

[USER PARABOLA=Hye-sung Kim reporter] It seems that the difficult competition for starting position of Kim Hye-sung (LA Dodgers) is expected to become even more difficult. This is because a super utility player, who can basically play all positions except for catcher and pitcher, has eventually extended his partnership with the LA Dodgers.

MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball, reported on the 13th (Korean time) that "a day before the Dodgers' spring training officially began, Kike Hernandez directly delivered the news that Dodgers fans had been waiting for all the offseason. He will be entering his 10th season wearing the Dodgers uniform."

Kiker extended his contract with the Dodgers on the 13th under a deal worth 1.45 million dollars (about 65 billion won). To create a 40-man roster spot, the Dodgers recently placed Evan Phillips, a right-handed relief pitcher who had signed a contract extension, on the 60-day injured list.

Kike, who has experienced three World Series championships with the Dodgers, is expected to contribute to the team's attempt for a three-peat in the 2026 season. The utility player beloved by Dodgers fans expressed his excitement on his personal social media, saying, "A three-peat in the World Series? That's really a great-sounding phrase."

According to MLB.com, Kike set the record for the most post-season appearances in Dodgers history last year (92 games or more). Throughout his 12-year Major League career, he has consistently performed well. He is regarded as a player whose versatile defensive skills across the entire diamond are considered a greater asset than his hitting. He is known as "Kike of October," and he has a career post-season OPS of .825, which is significantly higher than his regular season OPS of .708.

Kike's overall offensive performance declined last year. He had to battle with elbow pain for most of the season. He was on the injured list for about two months, and his batting average was .230 with an OPS of .621 in 93 games. However, Kike was different in the fall. Once the postseason arrived, he earned the trust of manager Dave Roberts, starting 17 games, playing 13 games in left field, and two games each at third base and center field.

After the 2025 season, Kike obtained free agent eligibility and underwent elbow surgery. Initially, he did not disclose the exact surgical site and return date, but he later revealed that he had undergone ulnar nerve surgery, and it was expected that he would miss about 1-2 months at the beginning of the regular season.

MLB.com said, "Like Phillips (Tommy John surgery) and Brock Stewart (shoulder surgery), Kike is expected to become a mid-season addition to the roster after a full recovery. His contract extension is considered the last piece of the puzzle for the Dodgers' roster, which has strengthened its lineup by acquiring Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz while maintaining its core players."

Meanwhile, Kim Hyesung's competition for the starting position has become even more difficult due to Kike's contract extension. The addition of Miguel Rojas, a proven veteran player, is already challenging, but now Kike, who can play second base and also perform like a magician at the plate, has joined, making things even worse. From Kim Hyesung's perspective, he needs to make a strong impression before Kike returns from rehabilitation, thereby securing an advantage over Rojas. This would be a realistic scenario for him to claim the second baseman's position.

/backlight@TUSER PARABOLA.co.kr