Major League Baseball's National League Gold Glove winner Kim Ha-sung (29) of the San Diego Padres is constantly at the center of the trade rumors. One thing is clear, however, that the value that has soared to a high level cannot be left out of the trade discussion.
The Athletic's San Diego reporter Dennis Lin predicted this by publishing an article in the form of answering questions about San Diego on the 11th (Korea Standard Time).
The first thing that came to mind was the possibility of Kim Ha-sung's trade and the estimated amount of money he would need to renew his contract. When asked if trading Kim Ha-sung would be the best chance to fill all the holes on the roster, he said, "I think so. Among the candidates for the offseason team's trade, Kim Ha-sung is drawing the most attention. He is expected to spare the Padres the money they need to secure him as a free agent, with nine months to go."
However, Lin had a different opinion. "If Jackson Merrill is ready, he can replace Kim Ha-sung somewhere in the infield at a cheaper price. And after trading pending FA Juan Soto and Scott Barlow for various controllable assets, San Diego is logically obliged to seek similar moves for Kim Ha-sung," he said. "The combination of Kim Ha-sung's Gold Glove defense and his affordable 2024 salary attracted more teams than a handful."
San Diego also highly values Kim Ha-sung. Lynn said, "Of course, the Padres offered a high price in talks with other clubs. As one club official said right before the winter meeting, the potential compensation for Kim Ha-sung "will have to go far beyond a certain level," adding, "Trade before Kim's scheduled March 20 homecoming at Seoul's Gocheok Sky Dome will be unlikely."
MLB is already promoting the opening series of the San Diego and LA Dodgers in Seoul next year. Interest in the showdown with San Diego, represented by Kim Ha-sung and Ko Woo-seok, and the Dodgers, which are lined with numerous star players, including Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, are also very hot in Korea. Analysts say that he will not throw cold water on Kim Ha-sung by trading ahead of this guaranteed box office card.
Nevertheless, he still hinted at the possibility of Kim Ha-sung's trade. "Despite poor prospects for this slow-moving transfer market, San Diego wants to gain competitiveness in 2024, and Kim Ha-sung can give great value with his annual salary of 8 million U.S. dollars," he said. "The fact that the three most productive players (Soto, Blake Snell, and Josh Hader) were close to FA also played a role."
Lin said, "Although A.J. Preller is reasonable, it will not be easy to keep Kim Ha-sung and find two starting outfielders and at least one starting pitcher within the budget," adding, "For now, San Diego can afford to maintain a high demand for Kim Ha-sung," adding, "Maybe there will be injuries in spring training and demand for central infielders will increase."
There was also a question about how much would be appropriate if Kim Ha-sung was caught. Lynn introduced Dansby Swanson, a shortstop who signed a seven-year, 177 million-dollar contract with the Chicago Cubs. He won his first career Gold Glove since then. Trevor Story, who mainly plays second baseman, signed a six-year, 140 million-dollar contract with the Boston Red Sox at the age of 29. Lynn said, "The two performed much better than Kim Ha-sung and both have higher potential in attack, but their recent FA contract is likely to serve as a good example for Kim and his agent. In the past two seasons, Kim Ha-sung recorded 8.1 fWAR as a candidate for shortstop or second baseman, and he will turn 29 in October. Unlike Story, he has almost stayed in the stadium and has no problem with his throwing arm." 메이저 토토사이트
In 152 games this season, Kim had a batting average of 0.260 and 140 hits, 17 homers, 60 RBIs, 84 runs and 38 steals, a on-base percentage of 0.351, a slugging percentage of 0.398, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) of 0.749. He also covered second, third and shortstops in defense, and became a Gold Glove winner in the NL utility category. He garnered votes in the MVP vote and was named a Silver Slugger candidate.
When Kim entered the big league, he signed a 4+1 year contract with the San Diego Padres. In his fourth year, he will receive an annual salary of 8 million U.S. dollars, and whether to add another year will be determined by mutual agreement. Kim Ha-sung, who made a soft landing in the big league, has no reason to stay another year for just 8 million dollars. San Diego wants to hold on to Kim Ha-sung, but he will have to offer a multi-year contract for a much larger amount.
Lin predicted, "If San Diego does something unexpected before the opening of the season, a seven-year extension contract guaranteeing Kim Ha-sung between $130 million (W171.7 billion) and $150 million (W198.1 billion), including 2024, will be available (If the Padres were to pull off the unexpected before the season opener, a seven-year extension of that cover 2024 and guidees Kim between $130 million and $150 million could it do the trick)."