The San Diego Padres want to keep Kim Ha-sung (29). However, San Diego is not the only one who knows his value. There are signs of fierce competition already.
MLB.COM, the website of the Major League Baseball (MLB), quoted an article by San Diego reporter AJ Casabel in the Padres Beat on the 5th (Korea Standard Time) and said, “San Diego’s roster plan began with the decision of Kim Ha-sung and Peralta.”
Casabel said Kim Ha-sung, who had a player option, rejected the one-year player option and chose to appear on the FA market with a buyout amount of $2 million (about 2.7 billion won). Peralta remained on the team, but Casabel said, “Kim Ha-sung’s move was much more important,” adding, “There are three options to fill it.” 스포츠토토
The first is to bring back Kim Ha-sung. Casabel said that this seems unlikely, but we cannot rule it out completely. He used words that San Diego general manager A.J. Preller left in the media after the end of the season as the basis.
“Kim Ha-sung is a very talented player. We definitely felt that his absence at the end of the season was a blow,” Prelor said. “He plays with tremendous energy, is a smart baseball player, and he keeps the field really well. He can play in all (infield) positions, walks well, and hits home runs. He even knows how to steal the bases.”
“That’s how we evaluate him. He’s such a talented and valuable player,” he said. “Again, from our perspective, we want to bring him back (We’d love to bring him).”
If it is not Kim Ha-sung, there is a way to find or trade a similar player in the FA market. Third, Xander Bogaerts will return to the shortstop position after Kim Ha-sung’s injury.
Bogaerts previously said he prefers to play consistently in one position. “Bogaerts will not move between shortstop and second baseman positions,” Casabel said. “San Diego will have Jake Cronenworth as its full-time second baseman and add an option to support Bogaerts in the shortstop position.” In other words, if Kim Ha-sung leaves, the position will likely be filled by Bogaerts rather than external reinforcement.
However, they can think twice about Bogaerts and Kim Ha-sung. This is because it raises the value of Kim Ha-sung, who is valuable enough to be ranked second in the FA shortstop rankings. Before entering the 2024 season, San Diego asked Bogaerts, who he recruited for 280 million U.S. dollars for 11 years, to move to second base. This is because he judged that playing at shortstop is more valuable. As such, the presence or absence of Kim Ha-sung is expected to show a big difference.
However, Milwaukee’s emergence as a competitor is a variable. San Francisco and other teams have already been known to want Kim Ha-sung, but Milwaukee is also emerging as a strong candidate ahead of the opening of the FA market.
Willy Adames (29), the top shortstop in the FA, will likely leave the team. Some predict that the Los Angeles Dodgers and others will compete to recruit Adames, but Milwaukee, which is lagging behind in financial power, will not be easy to protect Adames.
BVM Sports said, “The Brewers should target Kim Ha-sung to fill the shortstop gap,” adding, “Milwick should prioritize Kim Ha-sung, who is versatile and has excellent defense skills.”
“He is recovering from shoulder surgery, but he is a suitable replacement in the short term due to his ability to take on several positions,” he added. “If Kim Ha-sung is brought in, he will be able to strengthen the team’s defense to provide flexibility to the infield lineup while maintaining a competitive advantage.”
Media outlets paid attention to Kim Ha-sung’s record in 2023, which was his career high season. He is the best defense player in the league enough to win the Gold Glove in the National League utility category, and he saw a batting average of 0.260, 17 homers and 38 steals as a big weapon. He said it is too early to leave it to promising players and needs skilled players like Kim Ha-sung.
However, Milwaukee also has to consider Kim Ha-sung’s surgery history. The media said, “Recent shoulder surgery raises concerns about his performance and market value. As a result, he may want a short-term contract rather than a multi-year contract, which could affect Milwaukee’s long-term plans.”
Ahead of the FA declaration, Kim Ha-sung joined hands with “super agent” Scott Boras. Already, smiles are blooming on Boras’ face as it spreads to signs of competition with Kim Ha-sung.
