Is it true that Kim Hye-sung rejected the offer of 41.2 billion won for five years? Kim Hye-sung, why did you give up on the flower path → chose the tough Dodgers? "Otani's advice...”
Is it true that Kim Hye-sung rejected the offer of 41.2 billion won for five years? Kim Hye-sung, why did you give up on the flower path → chose the tough Dodgers? "Otani's advice...”
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Kim could have accepted a five-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels, but he chose the toughest team among the five teams that had been offered a deal. Why did Kim give up on the path of flowers.
Multiple U.S. media outlets, including MLB.com , ESPN, and CBS Sports, reported on the 4th (Korea Standard Time) that "Kim Hye-sung signed with the LA Dodgers through posting."
Kim dramatically achieved her dream of becoming a major leaguer just three hours before the posting deadline (7 a.m. on April 4). According to MLB.com , Kim's contract terms are up to 22 million U.S. dollars for three years and 12.5 million dollars for three years, including team options for the 2028 and 2029 seasons.
The Dodgers, chosen by Kim Hye-sung, are the strongest teams in the Major League. They boast a splendid history, including eight World Series championships, 25 National League championships (most), and 22 National League West championships. Park Chan-ho, Choi Hee-seop, Seo Jae-eung, and Ryu Hyun-jin are very familiar to Korean fans, and last year, they took the throne of the World Series for the first time in four years since 2020 with "superstar" Shohei Ohtani.메이저사이트
Infielders' depth is also considered one of the best in the Major League. It is safe to say that infielders including former MVP Mookie Betts, Gavin Lux, Tommy Edman, Chris Taylor, and Miguel Rojas are already saturated. Kim Hye-sung, who has achieved his dream of becoming a big leaguer, will face this harsh reality.
"The Dodgers' plan is to have Mookie Betts at shortstop and Gavin Lux at second base. Kim Hye-sung, whose main position is second baseman, is expected to play a utility role on the bench. The Dodgers' infield is full right now," said Dodger Blue.
According to multiple media outlets in Los Angeles, there are a total of five teams that have offered Kim. The Dodgers, the Seattle Mariners, the Los Angeles Angels, the San Diego Padres, and the Chicago Cubs are seeking to sign a deal, while the Dodgers Nation reported that the Angels offered a five-year, 28 million-dollar deal, which is better than the Dodgers. The Angels could have easily competed for the starting pitcher, but Kim's choice was the LA Angels.
"Kim Hye-sung rejected a more profitable offer to sign a contract with the Dodgers. It is said that Shohei Ohtani's advice played a big part in the contract process," Dodger Blue said after signing the contract.
After graduating from Dongsan High School, Kim achieved her dream of becoming a professional player by ranking seventh in the second round of the Nexen Heroes in the 2017 Rookie Draft. In her seventh year as a member of the Korean pro baseball league, she played career high of 335, seven home runs, 57 RBIs and 25 steals in 137 games last year, joining the WBC (World Baseball Classic) team in March, the Hangzhou Asian Games in September, and the APBC (Asian Baseball Championship) team in November. Among them, she served as captain of the Asian Games and APBC, which are competitions by age group.
Kim Hye-sung is also the first Korean man to win the Golden Glove as a shortstop in 2021 and a second baseman in 2022. He added golden gloves for second baseman last year and this year, becoming the Golden Glove for the fourth consecutive year.
Thanks to her performance, Kim Hye-sung declared her entry into the Major League through the posting system after the end of the 2024 season. Just in time, global sports agency CAA Sports reached out to see Kim Hye-sung's talent and signed a contract in Seoul on June 3.
Nez Valero, an agent in the baseball division of CAA Sports, is well-known as Shohei Ohtani (LA Dodgers) agent and is a key player who has supported Ohtani's advance to the Major League and successful career. He is famous as a super agent who helped Ohtani hit a 10-year jackpot with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the strongest team in the National League West, in December last year.
As a result, the advice of "Superstar" Ohtani, who ended up eating a meal at the agency, served as the background for choosing the Dodgers among the five options.
John Morosi of MLB Network also pointed out another reason why Kim chose Dodgers, saying, "Kim Hye-sung has been a fan of Dodgers since childhood. Now he will play for a team where he was a fan."