Hyeseong Kim, James Outman, and filling in the gaps

Kim has started four of six games since getting activated, Outman has started two of his three games this week, while Tommy Edman and Teoscar Hernández are on the injured list.

The Dodgers have two lineup regulars on the injured list at the moment in Teoscar Hernández and Tommy Edman, who are second and tied for third, respectively, on the team in home runs, among other things.

Edman is eligible to return from his right ankle inflammation as early as Saturday but Dave Roberts already told reporters this week that the infielder/outfielder likely wouldn’t be activated until after the Dodgers are done playing on turf this weekend at Chase Field.

Edman on Thursday took at-bats in a simulated game against Emmet Sheehan, who is in Arizona rehabbing from his Tommy John surgery from last May 15.

Hernández has a Grade 1 adductor strain and is eligible to be activated as early as next Friday, May 16, so there will be some spread between when Edman returns and Hernández does.

Holding down the fort while Edman and Hernández are injured are Hyeseong Kim, who has played all three of second base, shortstop, and center field, and James Outman, who gives the Dodgers a true center fielder while Andy Pages shifts to right field. Both Kim and Outman hit left-handed.

Kim has the added dimension of speed, which has already been on display on the bases in his six games active to date. Outman finished third in National League Rookie of the Year voting just two years ago but has struggled ever since. Outman had a 36-percent strikeout rate in Triple-A before getting called up, and has five strikeouts in nine plate appearances since getting called up, but also homered Wednesday and nearly did on Thursday night.

Today’s question is when Edman returns, does Kim stay or does Outman stay on the active roster?