The Padres have needed to lock down a wild-card spot with out Ha-Seong Kim. The shortstop jammed his proper shoulder diving into first base on a pickoff try on Aug. 18. The Padres positioned him on the injured listing a few days later with a analysis of shoulder irritation.
San Diego initially expressed optimism it will be a short-term absence. Kim has as a substitute been out for greater than 5 weeks and isn’t on the verge of a return. Supervisor Mike Shildt supplied a disappointing replace on the “Gwynn & Chris” present on 97.3 The Fan in San Diego.
“He simply hasn’t been in a position to recover from that hump along with his throwing,” Shildt mentioned. “The hitting’s not an issue, that half’s good, however he hasn’t been in a position to constantly throw with something behind it. … We’re nonetheless weighing what’s going down, however proper now, he’s not in a spot the place we will depend on him within the very close to future.”
In response to a follow-up query as as to whether there’s a date at which the window for Kim to return this season formally closes, Shildt replied “there may be, and we could also be getting there.”
Making issues worse, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune studies that Kim might require an offseason labrum restore. That’d be a brutal blow as he returns to free company. The assured portion of his four-year deal is coming to an in depth. As is the case with most gamers signing out of Korea or Japan, he’s eligible totally free company regardless of having lower than six years of MLB service. Kim will decline his finish of an $8M mutual possibility for subsequent season. He’ll gather a $2M buyout and return to the market.
If wholesome, he has a case for a robust four-year deal. Kim’s capability to play plus protection all through the infield has been extremely worthwhile. He stole 38 bases a season in the past and has gone 22-27 on the basepaths this season. Kim doesn’t have overwhelming energy, however he has gotten into double-digit house run territory in three straight years. He attracts loads of walks and infrequently strikes out.
Kim hit .233/.330/.370 over 470 plate appearances throughout the common season. He carries a .250/.336/.385 slash for the reason that begin of 2022. As of a pair months in the past, Kim’s sturdiness had sarcastically been one among his largest promoting factors. That is the primary time in his 4 MLB campaigns that he has landed on the injured listing.
It’ll take no less than a number of extra weeks to be taught the influence of the damage on Kim’s free-agent inventory. The extra rapid focus for the Padres is on their playoff infield. San Diego has kicked Xander Bogaerts again to the left facet of the filth. Jake Cronenworth has moved over to second base. That opens first base taking part in time for Donovan Solano and a few defensive reps for main DH Luis Arraez, with David Peralta drawing into the lineup at designated hitter whereas Arraez is within the area. The Padres referred to as up Nick Ahmed final weekend to work as a defensive specialist behind Bogaerts.
