The San Diego Padres may lose their standout defensive shortstop to one of their National League foes this offseason. Ha-Seong Kim is being looked at strongly by a host of teams in the NL, headlined by the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the bus does not stop there.
Padres’ Ha-Seong Kim garnering interest from Dodgers, Giants & more NL teams
Maren Angus-Coombs of San Diego Padres on SI relayed a report that reveals which teams are at the forefront of the chase for the South Korean talent:
“According to a source of MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, the San Francisco Giants have expressed interest and seem to be the most eager to sign him,” Angus-Coombs wrote.
“The Milwaukee Brewers have also been linked to the shortstop.”
Kim has shown out in his tenure with the Padres
Kim posted a .974 fielding percentage with 263 assists and 64 double plays, which turned to only 11 errors committed at shortstop for the Padres in 2024. At the plate, the 29-year-old scored an impressive 60 runs in 121 games played. He added 11 home runs and 47 RBIs to his body of work while posting a .700 OPS.
Kim declined his $8 million dollar mutual option with San Diego stretching from the four-year, $28 million deal he signed with the franchise back in 2021 prior to the start of his rookie year. Slated to hit the open market with a sure belief in the work he’s put forth in that stretch with the Padres, the standout infielder is due for a lucrative deal with his next suitor.
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Kim will likely test the market before making his FA decision
Speaking of which, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand listed him as the No. 17 ranked free agent for this offseason. Feinsand listed the Atlanta Braves as another team in the National League that could desire his services starting next year.
Should the Padres lose their starting shortstop, they have 29-year-old Mason McCoy as their other listed shortstop in the roster, but would likely need to make a move for a seasoned infielder who could step right in and fill his shoes for the World Series hopeful franchise.
