The Padres discover themselves in an unfamiliar place. San Diego may very well be looking out for a shortstop regardless of their affinity for gathering gamers with expertise on the place. Most of these gamers (i.e. Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Xander Bogaerts, Jackson Merrill and Jake Cronenworth) moved off shortstop. Ha-Seong Kim can be a free agent when he declines his finish of a mutual possibility in favor of a $2MM buyout. Kim is among the many most tough free brokers to challenge after his season was minimize quick by a labrum harm that required surgical procedure.
San Diego baseball operations president A.J. Preller addressed the place as a part of a convention name with reporters on Monday (hyperlinks through AJ Cassavell of MLB.com and Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune). Preller stated the Padres “would like to convey (Kim) again” however acknowledged the unsure timeline on his harm.
The Union-Tribune’s Kevin Acee wrote just a few weeks in the past that Kim was aiming for a return in April or Could. Preller left the state of affairs extra open-ended. The manager famous that Kim isn’t slated to start a throwing program till near the beginning of the season. As for a return to recreation motion, Preller loosely floated “Could, June, July” as viable outcomes.
It’s clearly too early within the rehab course of for the Padres to slender down a selected goal. That uncertainty ought to all however shut the e-book on the possibility of San Diego issuing Kim a qualifying provide. The 29-year-old infielder would most likely settle for a $21.05MM wage, which is an excessive amount of for the Padres to threat with Kim trying very prone to not less than start the season on the injured listing.
Preller and his employees additionally face notable free agent losses within the bullpen (Tanner Scott), left area (Jurickson Profar) and behind the plate (Kyle Higashioka). The reduction group ought to be sturdy sufficient to climate Scott’s departure, however the Padres might want to deal with just a few spots within the lineup whereas additionally discovering a substitute for the injured Joe Musgrove within the rotation. That might make it tough to retain Kim.
Even when the Padres had been to convey him again, they’d want a short-term substitute whereas he completes his rehab. If he walks, they’ll want a everlasting reply. Bogaerts moved again from second base for the stretch run. The Padres appear to want him on the keystone, although they won’t have any higher choices at shortstop.
Machado and Cronenworth haven’t performed there in years. Nor has Tatis, who has been a full-time proper fielder since coming back from the accidents and suspension that worn out his 2022 season. Merrill developed as a shortstop prospect earlier than studying heart area on the fly. The 21-year-old instantly turned one of many sport’s high all-around heart fielders.
Preller didn’t appear eager on the concept of transferring Tatis or Merrill again to the infield. “They’d most likely love that risk. They at all times joke round — ’No matter’s wanted,’” the baseball ops president stated. “The nice a part of these guys is that they’re gifted athletes, they will play totally different spots. … However Tati profitable the Platinum [Glove] two years in the past, and Jackson doing an amazing job in heart area this 12 months, we all know that they’re actually good at what they do within the outfield.”
There hasn’t been a lot critical dialogue about Tatis transferring again to shortstop. It’s a believable situation for Merrill, who solely moved off shortstop in deference to Kim and appears as if he can comfortably alter to no matter place the Padres ask of him. But as Preller famous, it’s tempting to go away Merrill in heart area with how effectively he performed this 12 months. San Diego doesn’t have an apparent in-house candidate to take over in heart if Merrill had been to come back again onto the infield. They’d most likely want to accumulate a middle fielder and the free agent market on the place is extraordinarily skinny. It’s not a lot deeper at shortstop, the place solely Willy Adames and Kim, if wholesome, profile as regulars.
