Dodgers unfold latest roster moves ahead of Tokyo Series

GLENDALE, Ariz. — As spring training wraps up in Arizona, the Dodgers are set to fly to Tokyo, Japan, where they will face off against the Chicago Cubs to kick off the regular season next Tuesday.  

Before leaving Camelback Ranch, Dave Roberts announced that Dustin May will be the fifth starter in the rotation as everything started to come together. Michael Grove will be out for an extended period, and Tony Gonsolin, who was in contention for the fifth spot, was overlooked due to a back injury.

May had an impressive performance last Thursday at Camelback Ranch. When asked about the competition for the fifth starter position, May expressed his preference to start over any other role, as Roberts announced on Monday.

Roberts made the decision to hold back Hyeseoung Kim, who will be starting his career with the Oklahoma City Triple-A team. The conversation surrounding Kim centered on whether his offensive abilities could match his defensive skills. Although Kim was initially projected to be the starting second baseman when he signed with the Dodgers, Roberts was not fully convinced by his batting performance and chose not to include him on the major league roster.

Kim recorded six hits in 29 at-bats, batting .207 with one home run and three RBIs, while striking out 11 times this spring with the Dodgers. 

Kim, 26, has signed a three-year deal worth $12.5 million, with an option for the 2028-29 season that could raise the total value of the contract to $22 million. A four-time winner of the KBO Golden Glove Award, Kim has won the award for the last three seasons as a second baseman, in addition to winning once while playing shortstop a few years ago.

With Kim being optioned to Oklahoma City, the team now has the opportunity to utilize a combination of Miguel Rojas, Chris Taylor, Kike Hernandez, and Tommy Edman at second base. Most nights, you can expect Rojas to start at second base, while Edman will likely play center field. Hernandez and Taylor may also make appearances in the outfield as needed.

As Kim continues to enhance his skills, the Dodgers anticipate potentially calling him up in June or even earlier if needed. He could fulfill the team's requirements if he were to start now; however, the organization prefers not to place unnecessary pressure on him.

The Dodgers are cautious about adding unnecessary pressure to Bobby Miller, who sustained a line drive injury to his forehead during a spring training start more than a week ago. Fortunately, Miller was able to walk off the mound under his own power, but he has not pitched since the incident. He was in contention for the fifth spot in the rotation, but given his injury, he became the clear choice to be left out.

Miller and Kim were both optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City and will not travel to Japan, starting the season in the minors.