“This has to be the most important six weeks of our lives,” Dave Roberts mentioned after the Boys in Blue clinched a spot in the postseason for the 13th time. Now, the man with the blueprint is sorting out his team for October. There, a rookie who became the first player in the modern MLB era to record four or more hits, a home run, an unassisted double play, and an outfield assist in a single game might not fit in his postseason plans.

Hyeseong Kim. He made his major league debut in May 2025 after spending much of spring training in Triple-A, where he made significant swing improvements. Roberts has said several times that he trusts Kim’s defense, but he is still not very confident about his bat.

And that concern is what makes Dave Roberts unsure about him being on the postseason roster. The coach stated, as reported by Dodgers Nation, “I don’t feel comfortable with him versus left-handed pitching. Balls that are going away from him.” And his explanation went on.

“I think with Hyeseong, I love the defense. … This is his first year in the major leagues, and I think he’s done a great job. I think right now, for Hyeseong, there’s too much chase out of the hitting zone, and there’s not enough contact. So for me, when you chase a lot and you don’t make a lot of contact, that is not a good spot for the postseason.”

The numbers will tell Roberts’ story.

Kim has been hitting .368 in 19 at-bats against lefties this season. Meanwhile, against right-handed pitchers, he is hitting .271 in 133 at-bats. Moreover, his chase rate has been a concern: 35.2% of the time, Kim swings at pitches that are outside the strike zone, which is substantially more than the league average of about 27%. His swing-and-miss rate, on the other hand, is 31.2%, which is a lot higher than the usual standard of 24%.

But it has never been a question about how good Kim is at defense.

His glove work consistently amazes coaches and players, and the fact that he can play more than one position is a significant advantage. But his progress on offense has hit some snags. He tried to play through an injury to his shoulder and was subsequently placed on the IL. In August, he was sent to Oklahoma City on a minor league rehab assignment to build up his strength and refine swing changes he began in spring training.

Even though Dave Roberts is aware of his potential, as he mentioned. “He’s helped us out a lot this year. He’s going to get better. But I think right now (when it comes to playing time), I’ve got to think about guys that I feel that can handle postseason pitching. But I think that this experience for Hyeseong to be on the club, to be in a pennant race, I think this is going to help him going forward.”

In his last 7 games, Kim went 1-for-14 (14 at-bats) with 0 runs, 0 home runs, 0 RBI, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts, and 1 stolen base — slashing .071/.133/.071. But despite all the back and forth, the 26-year-old is still optimistic.

“If I do make it to the postseason roster, I’ll focus on what I’m good at — pinch-running, substituting on defense. Those are two roles that I have in my mind.”

Meanwhile, Kim isn’t the only name circled on Dave Roberts’ blueprint…

Roberts eyes Sasaki’s bullpen fit as October looms

Dave Roberts has quietly begun assembling his postseason team. After addressing rookie Hyeseong Kim’s postseason role, his attention now shifts to Roki Sasaki.

The idea of putting Sasaki in the bullpen has gained traction since he has increased his output during rehab outings. In his most recent start, his fastball averaged 98.6 mph, which is faster than usual. Roberts said that the change is being seriously thought about, pointing out that Sasaki’s final two Triple-A innings were as a relief pitcher.

“Roki was really good. The stuff was good. He’ll fly to Arizona to come meet us there. We’re going to have a conversation, but he won’t be available to pitch until Wednesday.” When asked what he needed to see, Roberts was very clear.

“Velocity, strike-throwing, the split that gets swing-and-miss, and just the ability emotionally to handle coming out of the ’pen and attacking guys … I feel he can do it, but it’s up to him to go out there and perform.”

Before a shoulder injury cut his season short, Sasaki struggled to find his form on the mound. He had a 1–1 record with a 4.72 ERA, 24 strikeouts, and 1.49 WHIP over 34.1 innings, as he struggled with control and consistency. A right shoulder impingement sidelined him on May 13, and when his recuperation was taking too long, the team moved him to the 60-day IL on June 20.

So, Dave Roberts is carefully building up his October team, ensuring that every decision aligns with his goal of defending the championship title.