Max Langer
With the Dodgers scheduled to depart for Tokyo tomorrow, the decision of who’ll travel to Japan and who’ll make the Opening Day roster is growing steadily closer. Following their win over the Guardians, Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts spoke to the media and announced two big roster decisions:
Hye-Seong Kim Will NOT Travel to Japan; Will Start the Season in Triple-A
When the Dodgers first signed Hye-Seong Kim, it was with the expectation that he’d compete for the starting second base job. But after a spring training where his hitting prowess fluctuated and his defense was questionable, Roberts announced the Kim will not travel with the team to Tokyo and instead work on his development at Triple-A Oklahoma City to begin the year. Roberts and the Dodgers first indicated this could be a possibility a few weeks ago, when Kim’s swing didn’t look as crisp against big-league arms as it did in the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO).
Tony Gonsolin to Begin the Year on Injured List
Last night, on “Dodgers Territory,” Dave Roberts announced that Tony Gonsolin had suffered a back injury after lifting weights, and won’t be ready for Opening Day. He’ll start the year on the injured list, though it’s unclear how much time he’ll miss as the “Catman” tries to find his 2022 All-Star form once again.
Gonsolin’s injury came on the heels of the news that Dustin May had landed the job as the Dodgers’ fifth starter to begin the season, slotting him into the rotation behind Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow. It’s expected to be at least a couple of months before Shohei Ohtani returns to pitching, and the Dodgers shift to a six-man rotation.
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