Three Dodgers storylines to follow at midway point of ST

PHOENIX -- Believe it or not, the Dodgers are already past the halfway point of their abridged spring.

For the second straight year, they're opening the season abroad, this time in Japan for the Tokyo Series against the Cubs from March 18-19. It's an opportunity the Dodgers are eagerly awaiting, but the downside is there's less time to prepare for the regular season.

There's only so much that spring contests can reveal about how a player might perform in meaningful games, but the rest of the Dodgers' Cactus League slate could impact how their roster shapes up when they depart for Tokyo. Here are three storylines to follow midway through spring:

1. Kim working to 'earn a job'
Manager Dave Roberts has left open the possibility that Hyeseong Kim could begin the season in the Minor Leagues as he continues to acclimate to the Majors. Through Wednesday, Kim is 1-for-12 in Cactus League action, with his one hit coming on an infield single on Sunday against the Padres. He's been making adjustments to his swing while with the Dodgers, which can take some time to achieve the desired results.

"He bet on himself to come here and to compete, and so right now he's in a competition to earn a job with us," Roberts said. "I would say that that's still all in play, and we don't need to make a decision right now, obviously. But I would say that if there's one thing that ¡­ still is in question, it's the bat."

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If Kim doesn't make the Opening Day roster, Tommy Edman would likely see more time at second base, where he won a Gold Glove Award in 2021 with the Cardinals. The door would then be open for Andy Pages or James Outman to break camp with the Dodgers and play center field.

The Dodgers have high expectations for Kim's defense, both at second base and in center field, where Kim never played in the KBO but has experience in his younger days. They just want to be sure that he can hit enough to take full advantage of his glove.

2. Sasaki in the Cactus League
The beginning of Roki Sasaki's development as a Major Leaguer has been intriguing to follow. After facing his first non-Dodgers live hitters on Tuesday, Sasaki's next turn is scheduled for Tuesday or Wednesday. What's unknown is whether the 23-year-old from Japan will pitch in a Cactus League game or another B-game.

The Dodgers have several starters to build up and fewer games than usual to do so, so they have had to manage schedules carefully. But the team does not intend on the Tokyo Series being Sasaki's first time pitching in a real game this season -- he's in consideration to start Game 2 -- so the plan is to get him into a Cactus League game at some point.

"It's very important," Roberts said. "He needs to, certainly, build up, but also be in this environment."

Sasaki is on a weekly schedule, so he should be able to make two more outings before the Dodgers depart for Japan following their March 11 finale vs. the Guardians.

There's also the question of who will win the fifth spot in the Dodgers' rotation -- Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May and Bobby Miller are the frontrunners -- but they won't have to lock in that decision until they return to domestic soil.

3. Bullpen spots up for grabs
Evan Phillips and Michael Kopech, who entered camp behind schedule because they were recovering from lingering injuries during the offseason, both feel that they're moving in a good direction as they build up for the season. But time is running out for a realistic Opening Day return.

Phillips threw his first bullpen session of spring Friday, and Kopech expects to begin throwing in the 'pen soon. That leaves limited time for them to face live hitters, let alone appear in a Cactus League game.

The Dodgers' bullpen is built for high leverage, even without Phillips and Kopech, so the team can afford to take the time to make sure they're fully healthy. Whichever of Gonsolin, May and Miller does not get a spot in the rotation could potentially begin the season as a long reliever instead, and No. 23 prospect Ben Casparius could be another name to watch.