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Padres’ Ha-Seong Kim gets crushing injury update before playoffs

Originally posted on MLB on ClutchPoints | By Alex House | Last updated Sep 28, 2024 7:00 PM ET

The San Diego Padres will be roaring back into the playoffs following a dissatisfying 2023 season, but they are not going to be at full strength. Shortstop Ha-Seong Kim is done for the remainder of 2024, according to USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale.

The Gold Glover has been out of action for over a month with shoulder inflammation and will now be forced to undergo shoulder surgery. He recently ramped up his fielding activities but is clearly not in condition to press ahead at this time. While Kim’s offensive production is modest– batted .233 with 11 home runs and 47 RBIs– his value lies in what he can do in the infield.

There is a reason the Padres moved Xander Bogaerts to second base only one year into his $280 million contract. The two-time World Series champion will man short for San Diego, as Kim supports his club from the sidelines. The Padres stayed strong and clinched the top National League Wild Card slot with the 28-year-old South Korean on the injured list, but extra manpower can be crucial in October.

Kim is processing the bad news as best he can, knowing that he exhausted all his options.

“I really tried everything to come back and help the team,” he said, per AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. “But my body just wouldn’t listen to my mind. So I think as of now, my season is over, and it’s really frustrating and disappointing.”

Padres can still make it work

San Diego Padres and right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) celebrate the victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers and postseason berth at Dodger Stadium. Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

These late-season setbacks are the kind of misfortune the Friar Faithful has come to expect in the franchise’s tortured history. But there is a different aura permeating Petco Park in 2024. The execution of a game-ending triple play to book a seat at the October soiree proves as much.

It is not just the good vibes that inspire confidence, however. The Padres have the talent and depth to compete with a loaded NL field and fight tenaciously for their first pennant in 26 years.

Multi-time batting champion Luis Arraez’s masterful contact skills blends perfectly with sluggers Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr., and Rookie of the Year hopeful Jackson Merrill thrives under pressure. Bogaert’s playoff experience should come in handy, too. San Diego’s X-factor, though, is a quartet of relief pitchers who all have sub-3.00 ERAs (Robert Suarez, Tanner Scott, Adrian Morejon and Jeremiah Estrada). The imposing bullpen backs up a starting rotation that contains experience and Grade A heat.

Ha-Seong Kim’s defense is difficult to replace, but the revamped Padres can still capture postseason glory. Adversity has not broken them yet in 2024, and maybe it never will.

This article first appeared on MLB on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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