The Dodgers don't exactly have a reputation for being able to move in silence, but they don't really have to. LA's usual tack is to make their interest clear and let any other clamoring teams cower away under the shadow of Mark Walter and the Guggenheim group's gargantuan wallet.
But apparently they can also still surprise us. On Friday, according to a flurry of Korean reports, the Dodgers appear to have agreed to terms with KBO utilityman Hye-seong Kim, whose international free agency signing window was due to expire at 2 PM the same day.
Reports had surfaced earlier in the day that the Dodgers were among five teams to make Kim an offer, and Korean media broke the news of the deal first: three years, $12.5 million, with an option for both 2028 and 2029 that would bring his total up to $22 million. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic corroborated the news.
Dodgers come out of nowhere to reportedly sign KBO utilityman Hye-Seong Kim
It's unclear as of yet where the Dodgers will put Kim, but it certainly raises questions for Gavin Lux's future as an everyday player. Kim has spent time at second base, shortstop, and left field for the KBO's Kiwoom Heroes, which could make him a fitting, versatile replacement for Kiké Hernández on the bench, but he could also threaten to take over Lux's position completely at second (or the Dodgers could move Mookie Betts back to second and install Kim at shortstop, which would still kick Lux out).
The Mariners, Angels, Padres, and Cubs were also in on the chase nearing Kim's deadline, but it seems he cited Shohei Ohtani's influence (the two are both CAA clients) as a major factor in ultimately going with the Dodgers.
Looks like the Dodgers can move in silence. The proceeding fallout will be a doozy, and it could spell a final end to the Lux experiment. In any case, Kim — who has a career .304 batting average and .978 fielding percentage over eight years with the Heroes — will be an incredibly intriguing addition for fans to look out for.