The Giants need a shortstop and, well, he has recently played the position — but will he in the future?
If you’re rooting for Jung Hoo Lee’s friendship with Ha-Seong Kim, then you got some great news out of Dallas last night from MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, who reported that a source has told him that the San Francisco Giants are “focused on signing the 29-year old.”
Great news for friendship, great news for the Giants’ infield defense. The question is: do the Giants intend to play him at shortstop? He’s certainly well-suited to the position, having amassed 2,292 innings there over the past three seasons for the Padres, two of which were under the eye of Bob Melvin. But he can dazzle all over the infield, as evidenced by his NL Gold Glove award win in 2023 for the “utility” position. MLB.com wrote:
Kim was once again the model of infield versatility for San Diego this season, seeing time at second base, third and shortstop — though he appeared mostly at second base. He combined for 16 defensive runs saved — 10 at second, and three each at third and short. His 10 DRS at second base ranked behind only the co-leaders in the NL at the position, Hoerner and Turang (12 each).
This past season, Kim played all 121 games of his at shortstop and was +4 Outs Above Average (Statcast) and +2 defensive runs saved. He was +7.2 fielding runs above average (defined by FanGraphs here). Certainly not Matt Chapman’s equal in terms of peak, but he is a well above average defender on the infield and pairing the two of them on the left side of the infield suggests and orgiastic future that even F. Scott Fitzgerald might find excessive.
On the other hand… on August 18th, he hurt his shoulder on this play while diving back to first base on a pickoff attempt requiring season-ending surgery for a torn labrum. That’s his right shoulder, his throwing shoulder, and I’m just going to put out there that I think a shortstop’s arm is pretty important.
Here’s a small sampling of shortstops who’ve had surgery for a torn labrum:
- Trevor Story (Red Sox)
- Edwin Arroyo (Reds prospect)
- Josh Jung (Rangers)
- Fernando Tatis Jr. (Padres)
Now, Tatis Jr.’s injury is what led to Ha-Seong Kim getting playing time at shorstop and opening eyes there (and Tatis Jr.’s injury was to his left shoulder), so that’s an unfortunate coincidence, while Jung Hoo Lee needing season-ending shoulder surgery the same year his friend does is an amusing coincidence.
Meanwhile, Jung hasn’t played any major league games at short and his injury came while lifting weights. Arroyo’s came the same way that Kim sustained his: diving back to first on a pickoff play… but in a Spring Training game against the Giants. Weird! Story has been hurt so much that he’s barely stayed on the field for the Red Sox, but when he has played, he’s been at short — although, the team certainly seems poised to move him off that position if he ever comes back.
I’m considering this specific injury because, again, I think a shortstop’s arm is pretty important. But maybe the Giants don’t intend to use him at that position. Maybe they see him as a second baseman and they’ll go ahead and sign and stash Willy Adames next to Matt Chapman, I’m not sure — I mean, I’d love to see it, of course, but that seems like a big lift, given where the team is payroll & budget-wise. Kim certainly profiles as a middle infielder, though, between the glove and the bat.
In four full seasons since coming over from the KBO, he’s hit .242/.326/.380 in 1,976 plate appearances, a career 101 wRC+ according to FanGraphs. Basically, a league average bat with above average defense. He has a dazzling 12% walk rate the past two seasons and has a sub-20% strikeout rate. He’s the exact kind of scrappy contact, speed, and plate discipline guy you’d like from a second baseman. Basically, what if the Giants could count on the 2022 or 2023 version of Thairo Estrada for the next 4 years?
But maybe Buster Posey thinks the labrum surgery won’t be an issue and shortstop is the best spot for him? It might work out, even though he’s not expected to return from rehab post-surgery until around the beginning of May — does Tyler Fitzgerald as a temp fill in make sense at short or second base, I guess is the question. Then again, there’s also the Sergio Alcantara minor league signing that was announced yesterday. Building experienced infield depth looks to be a priority, and Alcantara has played at second, third, and short, too.
Kim (who declined an $8 million option to remain with the Padres) was not extended a qualifying offer (valued at $21.05 million) by the Padres, meaning the Giants won’t have to surrender two draft picks plus $1 million in international bonus pool money to sign him.
And he’s the friend of a player the team very much hopes becomes a face of the franchise that draws in the fans. It makes so much sense to sign him. It almost seems too good to be true that it will happen and work out as perfectly as everything suggests, but I guess the best way to find out is for the Giants to sign Ha-Seong Kim.