The San Diego Padres' offseason has been relatively quiet in the face of heightened expectations among a rabid fanbase. It's a complete change of philosophy from previous years, and it has seen them lose multiple talented players.
The Athletic's Dennis Lin has reported that the Padres could be looking to trade second baseman Ha-Seong Kim this offseason. Though a trade is possible, it's not very likely.
The Padres are scheduled to open their regular season in Seoul this year. Kim, a native of South Korea, will be very popular during the games. Trading him could only damage the Padres' brand in Asia, so keeping him may be in the best interests of the team's marketing department — to say nothing of Kim's baseball skill.
"A trade before Kim’s scheduled March 20 homecoming at Seoul’s Gocheok Sky Dome is possible but not likely. Despite the rough optics of this offseason — amid a slow-moving market, the same description applies in various other cities — the Padres want to be competitive in 2024, and Kim could provide major value on an $8 million salary."
The Padres have explored the market for Kim all offseason. A 6-WAR player with a $7 million luury tax hit would be in high demand if San Diego actually put him on the trade block, but he has become one of the favorites of the team's fan base.
In his breakout 2023 season, Kim batted .260 with 17 home runs and 60 runs batted in, and collected some down-ballot MVP votes. His stalwart defense at multiple infield positions was reflected in his 5.8 bWAR, further reflecting his two-way value.
Depending on the return for Kim, a trade would only further sully an already lackluster offseason in the eyes of fans. The front office would like to be competitive in 2024, and Kim helps them do just that.
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