Dodgers Rumors: Emergence of unexpected trade candidate makes Hyeseong Kim redundant

The Los Angeles Dodgers might not feel that they have any pressing needs this offseason, but instead will be in the "exploration" phase rather than acting with a sense of urgency to rectify the (albeit few) flaws that existed on the 2025 club.

That exploration could take them to some interesting places that could cause some strange ripples throughout the roster. Take, for instance, their latest rumored trade target, Brendan Donovan, and what landing him could mean for a player like Hyeseong Kim.

After all, the bench is an underrated area of concern, with Kiké Hernández and Miguel Rojas both hitting free agency. But even with those potential losses, a Donovan acquisition could make Kim feel redundant.

Brendan Donovan trade rumors could make Hyeseong Kim an unneeded Dodgers' redundancy

It was a frustrating season for the versatile 26-year-old Kim, who was limited to just 170 plate appearances this year due to injury, and struggled at times to adapt to big league pitching in his first season stateside, posting a 30.6% strikeout rate, while recording a slightly below average 95 wRC+.

Kim wasn't expected to be the next big star to come over from the Asian market, but the South Korean native was thought to be an athletic jack-of-all-trades type who could play solid defense around the infield, post some decent contact numbers, and add some speed to the bases.

He wanted to be a Dodger, too, agreeing to sign with this Los Angeles club over the Dodgers' dysfunctional cousins over in Orange County, despite the Angels offering him more money.

The Dodgers tried to mold Kim in their image, too, having him work on his ability to play the outfield during his rehab assignment to further increase his versatility.

However, between what he's shown in the majors so far and what Brendan Donovan has proven, there's no comparison. The 28-year-old St. Louis Cardinal began his career in 2022 with a top-three NL Rookie of the Year finish while also taking home the utility Gold Glove.

In 2025, he added his first All-Star selection on the strength of a .287/.353/.422, 10-homer line. Donovan already knows how to bounce around the infield and can roam the outfield as well, while putting together starter-caliber performance at the dish.

In short, he's a ready-made version of what the Dodgers were hoping that Kim could become. While Hernández and Rojas are hanging around on the free-agent market, it shouldn't be a surprise to see the Dodgers reunite with one or both of their playoff heroes.

On top of that, despite his struggles during his brief call-up, the club has top prospect Alex Freeland waiting in the wings, who theoretically can do a lot of the things that Kim can.

Should a Donovan trade come to fruition, it then likely pushes Kim out of the team's plans. His youth and affordable contract would seemingly make him a relatively attractive trade chip. Ultimately, it would be a sad end to a short tenure for a player who really wanted to be here, but with a threepeat on their minds, the Dodgers' brass can't be overly sentimental. Every upgrade matters, and maybe that's exactly what Brandon Gomes is actually exploring.