Dodgers' manager Dave Roberts hints $12M elite defensive weapon for postseason roster vs. Reds
The Los Angeles Dodgers are preparing to face the Cincinnati Reds in the Wild Card Round of the MLB Playoffs. While the Reds will enter the series as underdogs, they can't be counted out—they're an exciting, young team with a solid pitching staff. The Dodgers, meanwhile, have some tough roster decisions to make, including what to do with new bullpen arm Roki Sasaki.
“Sasaki pitched on one day of rest on Friday, and previously got two days off in between his other relief outings. Roberts said Sasaki will not make it into the final two games of the regular season,” MLB.com’s Sonya Chen wrote.
Another player to watch is Hyeseong Kim. The rookie appeared in just 71 games this season but has proven to be a valuable asset—offering elite defense, smart baserunning, and positional versatility. Kim was signed during the offseason.
“The Dodgers have agreed to a deal with Korean infielder Hyeseong Kim, the team announced on Friday. The deal is for three years and a guaranteed $12.5 million with an option for 2028-29 that could increase the value of the deal to $22 million,” MLB.com’s Brian Murphy wrote.
When speaking to the media on Monday, manager Dave Roberts did not commit to whether Kim would be on the postseason roster.
“Hyeseong has been fantastic for us this year. Going into tomorrow we have some tough roster decisions to go over,” Roberts said.
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Kim brings elite speed on the bases and could serve as a late-game defensive replacement for Teoscar Hernández if needed. Coming into the season, there was plenty of buzz surrounding the Korean infielder.
“Kim, 25, was posted by the Kiwoom Heroes on Dec. 5, marking Friday as a deadline to sign with a major league team. He's known as an elite defender at multiple positions as he played second base, shortstop, third base and in the outfield,” ESPN’s Jesse Rogers wrote.
It will be interesting to see how Roberts and his staff handle the final roster spots. Kim remains firmly in the mix—and if called upon, he could emerge as a postseason hero.
Celtics' Jayson Tatum feels 'no pressure' in recovery from Achilles injury
Celtics star Jayson Tatum said he's not feeling any pressure to push his recovery from a ruptured Achilles tendon.
"No pressure from (Celtics president of basketball operations) Brad (Stevens), (coach) Joe (Mazzulla), the team or the organization," Tatum said Monday at the Celtics' media day. "The most important thing is that I'm 100 percent."
Tatum suffered the injury in May in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Boston lost the series to the New York Knicks.
While Tatum downplayed any urgency he or the team may feel to get him back on the court, he did discuss his difficult recovery process.
"I think the toughest part was at the beginning and kind of being in disbelief. For me, I had to accept it," he said. "I started to see a turning point, but then you're on crutches, and you're on a scooter, you're in a boot. And then you can drop one crutch and then you can drop both crutches ... That made me feel a little bit more normal."
Tatum is expected to miss most, if not all, of the upcoming season. The Celtics were overhauled in the offseason amid lower expectations without their superstar. Veteran starters Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis were traded without much in the way of established NBA talent added.
"We have a lot of guys that are unproven," Stevens said. "They're younger and maybe not quite as experienced and maybe not quite as full of NBA wisdom."
The Celtics are just 15 months removed from winning the 2023-24 championship. They'll rely heavily on the leadership of players from that title team like Payton Pritchard, Derrick White and perennial All-Star Jaylen Brown.
"We have a chance for other guys to step up," Brown said. "Empowering other guys, trusting your teammates more and trying to accelerate guys' learning curve and play some good basketball. I think that's what people want to see."
