Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
Every offseason, there are teams around baseball that are being watched very closely. This could be due to the team deciding to be aggressive, or even when opponents believe that a franchise is about to cut salaries.
This winter, one of those clubs is the San Diego Padres, in part because nobody really knows how they will go about things. San Diego has shown a willingness to both spend and cut salaries in recent years, and it has confused many around the game.
For the Padres they have a lot of talent on the roster, but they’re coming off another frustrating end in the postseason. In addition, multiple pieces from the starting rotation are hitting free agency, so the Padres are now left in a strange spot.
This team has title aspirations, but the front office may look to cut money again. However, the Padres have been very good at finding some gems in recent years, and maybe this could happen again heading into next season.
This is just a prediction, NOT a report!
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Ha-Seong Kim Will Return to San Diego Padres
As the Padres search for ways to improve the team that won’t completely break the bank, they could always turn to an old friend. That would be veteran Ha-Seong Kim, who is entering into the free agent market.
Kim is coming off a season that saw him split time between the Tampa Bay Rays and Atlanta Braves. The veteran had a decent season, but due to a lack of options at the shortstop position this year, he could earn a nice deal.
Overall, his time in Tampa Bay wasn’t anything to sing about, but once he got to the Braves, things turned around. Overall for the season, he hit just .234/.304/.345 in 191 plate appearances.
But in Atlanta, he caught fire and slashed .309/.372/.456 with three home runs, a double over 19 games. Kim seemed to get back to being his old self with the Braves, and it may have been due to him finally getting healthy again.
The veteran infielder has dealt with injuries over the past few years, and it has clearly impacted him at the plate. But his end-of-the-year seems to indicate that he could return to form, and this may help his free agency.
When Kim was with the Padres, he was a key piece to their team, helping them get to the playoffs a few times. San Diego loved him, but due to financial reasons and the injuries, they had to let him walk last offseason.
But this could be a chance for the team to bring him back, and he would probably be open to the reunion. If anything, Kim could be a utility piece for the Padres next season, and he may be able to significantly help this team.
The infielder has been a plus defensive shortstop throughout his career, and the Padres could use someone like him again. San Diego may not want to spend a lot of money in free agency, but bringing Kim back could be one of the more beneficial moves that the team can make this offseason.