Ha-seong Kim‘s journey through free agency might land him towards a familiar destination. According to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, the San Diego Padres are poised to reunite with their former shortstop. Bowden predicts in his latest article that Kim will return to the Padres on a free-agent contract.
“After season-ending shoulder surgery, Kim has discovered his free-agent value isn’t what he had hoped. He’ll need to sign a short-term deal, show that he’s healthy next year and try to replicate his 5.8 WAR season from 2023.”
Despite reported interest from other teams, including the San Francisco Giants – who ultimately landed Willy Adames – Kim’s fit with the Padres remains the most compelling. Kim is currently recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.
Ha-seong Kim Free Agency: Predicting the Shortstop’s Next Move
Aside from the Padres, The Boston Red Sox have emerged as a potential suitor. Kim could fill a shortstop gap and allow Trevor Story to remain at second base. This arrangement would also give prospects Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell additional time to develop in Triple-A.
Despite these possibilities, Bowden firmly believes that the Padres best fit Kim.
“[However], the best for Kim, without a doubt, is still the Padres. They also are a much better team with him at shortstop and Xander Bogaerts at second base than if they have to play Bogaerts at shortstop.
With Kim at shortstop and Bogaerts at second base, the Padres would reunite a formidable infield duo, far superior to the alternative of playing Bogaerts at shortstop.
Kim’s Free Agency Impact
Kim’s free agency is complicated due to the season-ending shoulder injury. It will sideline him for most, if not all of the first half of the season. There are only so few teams who want to invest in a player who they know won’t be available to them for much of the upcoming year. Kim, at full strength, would be an exciting return to where he started his MLB career.
After signing with San Diego out of South Korea in 2021, Kim quickly became a fan favorite. He owns a robust .242/.326/.380 slash line with 47 home runs across four seasons, winning the National League’s utility Gold Glove Award in 2023.
Main Photo: © David Butler II-Imagn Images
