After an underwhelming 2021 rookie season, Ha-Seong Kim has emerged as a standout huge leaguer during the last two years, posting an 8.1 fWAR resulting from his mixture of above-average (109 wRC+) hitting, glorious baserunning, and top-tier protection. The Padres have actually gotten a fantastic return on the four-year, $28MM contract they signed to draw Kim from the KBO League in the course of the 2020-21 offseason, but with Kim now getting into the ultimate 12 months of that deal, his time in San Diego could possibly be operating quick.
Whereas a mutual choice is in place for the 2025 season, such choices are virtually by no means exercised by each events, and the 28-year-old Kim looks like a lock to once more hit the open market subsequent winter now that he has a longtime MLB monitor file. If the Padres don’t really feel they will prolong or re-sign the infielder, a commerce stays a risk, and The Athletic’s Dennis Lin writes that “internally, at the very least, San Diego has been discussing the thought for weeks.”
Whether or not or not a commerce truly occurs stays to be seen, as a Padres official informed Lin that the return would must be “approach above the road” to get the membership to truly transfer Kim. As well as, Kim may also naturally be one of many centerpieces of the season-opening two-game sequence between the Padres and Dodgers in Seoul on March 20-21, and Lin doubts that the Friars take the awkward place of transferring a Korean star previous to the primary MLB regular-season video games to ever happen in South Korea.
That being stated, including a number of long-term belongings for one 12 months of Kim’s companies is clearly a tempting idea for a Padres crew that has numerous wants to handle. Buying and selling Kim would create a giant gap in San Diego’s infield, although the crew continues to be in dire want of outfielders and as many as two beginning pitchers to fit behind Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove, and the newly-acquired Michael King. The excessive value of pitching would make signing a starter costlier for the Padres than maybe signing an infielder as a stopgap Kim alternative, plus high prospect Jackson Merrill could possibly be a part of the large league infield image sooner or later in 2024.
Price-cutting has been one of many main storylines of the San Diego offseason, and for the reason that Padres appear to be stepping again from their monetary splurges of the final couple of seasons, retaining Kim appears like much less of a risk. The crew is reportedly looking to cut back spending to round $200MM in payroll in 2024, and ideally get beneath the $237MM luxurious tax threshold if doable. After signing Yuki Matsui and Woo Suk Go to improve the bullpen, the Padres are projected (through Roster Resource) to have a $156.3MM payroll and a tax variety of slightly below $212MM, so there isn’t a ton of flexibility for the crew so as to add significant outfield and rotation assist.
Kim is a giant a part of this monetary image, within the sense that he’s fairly a discount at solely an $8MM wage. Since Manny Machado is likely to be restricted to early-season DH responsibility whereas he recovers from elbow surgical procedure, Kim carries even better import inside San Diego’s infield, as he is likely to be wanted to deal with third base whereas Machado heals up. Jake Cronenworth would possible transfer first base to second base within the occasion of a Kim commerce, however that may then depart the Padres in want of a primary baseman and at the very least a brief alternative on the sizzling nook.
It isn’t a attain to counsel that Kim is likely to be nearly probably the most prized commerce asset available on the market if the Padres made him accessible, as Lin notes that the Friars have already drawn “widespread curiosity” in Kim from rival groups. Although he primarily performed second base final season, Kim received the NL utility Gold Glove for his all-around defensive work at second, third, and shortstop. Contemplating what number of contenders and would-be contenders have a necessity at at the very least one in every of these infield positions, as much as half the league could possibly be seen as believable suitors to bid on Kim, even when some groups are higher geared up than others to satisfy San Diego’s excessive asking value.
Kim’s $8MM wage may match the finances of smaller-market groups just like the Rays, Guardians, Pirates, or Royals, although maybe solely Tampa (who has an extended historical past of trades with the Padres) is the one true World Sequence contender of that group that is likely to be impressed to make an all-in transfer to land Kim. The Brewers, Blue Jays, Mariners, Giants, Angels, Tigers, Cubs, and Marlins all have holes to fill of their infield, even when San Francisco is likely to be much less possible if San Diego doesn’t wish to deal Kim inside the NL West. Golf equipment just like the Twins, Braves, Yankees, Crimson Sox, or Phillies are extra speculative candidates since one other infielder most likely must be moved to create house for Kim, however an aggressive play can’t be dominated out.
Although Kim is simply beneath contract for 2024, some groups may view him as a longer-term alternative in the event that they really feel they’ve an opportunity to increase or re-sign him subsequent offseason. Even when golf equipment may additionally see a Kim commerce as strictly a transfer for the approaching season, he’s actually a candidate to obtain a qualifying provide, so a crew may recoup a draft decide as compensation if he signed elsewhere.
