Kim Hye-sung 18.4 billion contract mystery, why is there no bonus clause for 3 years? $500,000 in 500 at-bats for just 45 years
Jan 04, 2025
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On the 4th (Korea time), the Dodgers agreed on a contract with utility player Kim Hye-sung that includes three-year $12.5 million (KRW 18.4 billion) and two-year club options in 2028 and 2029. As a follow-up, catcher Diego Cartaya was named as a standby to make room on the 40-man roster," the official announcement said.
According to the AP, the specific terms of the contract are $1 million for Sinning Bonus, with an annual salary of $2.5 million in 2025 and $3.75 million each in 2026 and 2027. The Dodgers have $5 million in club options in 2028 and 2029, and a buyout is $1.5 million with a package that selects or gives up at the same time.
In addition, a clause was added that $500,000 will be paid as a bonus if more than 500 at-bats are built in 2028 and 2029, when the club option is activated.
However, it is surprising that there are no separate incentives or bonus provisions for the first three years of guaranteed duration. Although he signed a major league contract, he seems to have symbolically acknowledged that there are virtually not many opportunities to play as a starting player in the first three seasons of his debut. Coincidentally, the regulation for a major league season is 502 at-bats.
Instead, he said he would give bonuses based on the number of at-bats for the next two years of options, so we can expect a change in Kim Hye-sung's position to compete for the starting lineup between 2028 and 2029. It is true that the Dodgers' infielders, which lead to second basemen, third basemen, and shortstop, are quite fluid every year.
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This is also the intention of manager Dave Roberts. Roberts is a representative head coach who prefers multi-positioned fielders. Kim Hye-sung is a player who can take on not only second baseman but also shortstop and third baseman stably.
Cartaya, who was pushed out of the 40-man roster because of Kim Hye-sung, is a prospect who was selected as the Dodgers Minor Leaguer of the Year in 2022, but it was difficult for the Dodgers to have any more opportunities as a catcher. Main catcher Will Smith is under contract until 2033, and prospect catcher Dalton Rush has just begun knocking on the big leagues. Austin Barnes and Hunter Peducia are also catcher backup agents.
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Kim He-sung, who played as Team Korea's leadoff second baseman at the time, impressed Dodgers officials in the top of the third inning by pulling on a 97.3-mile (156.6km) fastball from Dodgers fastball starter Bobby Miller's fifth pitch with no outs. It was a large ball with a launch angle of 23 degrees, a batting speed of 101.6 miles, and a flying distance of 376 feet.
In response, MLB Network reporter John Morosi said in November last year that the `Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants, and Los Angeles Angels are trying to strengthen their second base this winter. The Dodgers also highlighted Kim Hye-sung's play in a warm-up match in Seoul in March, introducing that he hit Miller's 97-mile fastball and connected it to a double.
In particular, Roberts made headlines after the game by showing interest, saying, `Our scouts liked the opponent's second baseman.'
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Dodgers' flagship Shohei Ohtani reportedly met Kim Hye-sung last month when he was staying in LA and persuaded him to join, and it is highly likely that the Dodgers' offer was the most attractive in terms of amount.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
