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Dodgers' Kim prevails over Giants' Lee in first MLB meeting

Published: 15 Jun. 2025, 15:32

Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Kim Hye-seong swings during batting practice before an MLB game against the San Francisco Giants in Los Angeles on June 14. [AP/YONHAP]

Kim Hye-seong of the Los Angeles Dodgers got the upper hand in his first Korean showdown against Lee Jung-hoo of the San Francisco Giants.

Kim went 1-for-4 with an RBI as the Dodgers defeated the Giants 11-5 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday.

Lee went 0-for-4 with a walk in the loss.

This was the first regular-season meeting in MLB between the two former teammates of the Kiwoom Heroes in the KBO.

Lee and Kim were both drafted out of high school in 2016 and made their KBO debuts in 2017. The two friends played together until Lee left to sign with the Giants after the 2023 season.

Following the 2024 campaign, Kim joined his pal in the National League West, signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In Saturday's game, Lee started in center field and batted leadoff, while Kim got the start at second base and batted ninth.

Kim, who lined out in his first at-bat in the bottom second, dropped a two-out RBI single in front of Lee in the bottom third to extend the Dodgers' lead to 7-0.

Kim flied out to left field in the bottom fifth before lining out in the same direction in the bottom seventh.

He is batting .382/.425/.544 in 30 games this season with two homers and 11 RBIs.

Lee drew a walk against starter Clayton Kershaw to open the game, and flied out to right field in the top third.

In the top sixth, Lee struck out swinging on Kershaw's patented 12-6 curveball. Lee lined out to new second baseman Tommy Edman in the top ninth, moments after Edman took over from Kim and Kim moved to center field.

San Francisco Giants outfielder Lee Jung-hoo reacts after striking out as Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith prepares to throw the ball during the sixth inning of an MLB game in Los Angeles on June 14. [AP/YONHAP]

Lee came out for the second time in the ninth inning as the Giants scored five times but grounded out to Edman to end the game.

After a hitless day, Lee is hitting .266/.329/.430 in 69 games with six homers and 32 RBIs.

This was the second of the 13 games scheduled between the Dodgers and the Giants this season. Kim did not play in Friday's game.

The two teams' next meeting will be a three-game set at Oracle Park in San Francisco from July 11 to 13.

Kim and Lee are the only Korean players in MLB at the moment, although they both played with Edman, who has Korean heritage, for the Korean national team at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

This season marks Kim's first time in MLB after spending the early days this year with the Oklahoma City Dodgers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, in the minors.

He posted a .252 batting average with 29 hits in 115 at-bats, along with five home runs, 19 RBIs, 13 stolen bases and a .798 OPS before his promotion.

Kim entered MLB via the posting system and signed with the Dodgers in January. His contract includes a guaranteed three-year term worth $12.5 million, with a maximum value of $22 million over 3-plus-2 years.

As for Lee, this season is his second in MLB after missing the majority of last season due to injury.

Lee is batting .266 with six home runs, 32 RBIs and a .758 OPS so far this season.

BY YONHAP, PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]