Toronto Blue Jays Reportedly Showing Interest in Gold Glover Ha-Seong Kim

Kim is coming off a serious injury, so there are definitely some questions, but he represents an interesting option for Toronto on multiple fronts.

San Diego Padres shortstop Ha-Seong Kim (7) fields a eighth inning ground ball against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 26. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

According to a report from Sportsnet, the Toronto Blue Jays are interested in free agent infielder Ha-Seong Kim.

Ben Nicholson-Smith writes that the Jays have interest in adding a corner outfielder, but if they don't do that, they could pivot to the infield market. Kim represents a very intriguing option for multiple reasons.

If the Blue Jays don’t add a corner outfielder, the next most likely position they’ll upgrade is second base, so it’s worth noting that Ha-Seong Kim’s expected to be fully recovered from shoulder surgery early in 2025, according to agent Scott Boras. As expected, the Blue Jays have some interest in Kim and Gleyber Torres as they survey infield options.

First and foremost, the shoulder surgery changes the calculus on Kim. Had he been fully healthy, he could have commanded a serious three or four-year deal, but since he's not, teams may be able to get him on a more affordable one or two-year pact. For a Jays team that has spent a ton of money on George Springer, Jose Berrios, Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt over the last few years, cheaper could be a good thing.

Furthermore, Kim is a very versatile defender. He is capable of playing either second base or shortstop and won a Gold Glove Award at second base in 2023 with the San Diego Padres. If Toronto were to sign him, he would form a nice tandem with Bo Bichette in the middle of the infield. Furthermore, if the team had him for multiple years, he'd represent nice insurance against Bichette potentially being traded at the deadline this year - or leaving in free agency after the 2025 campaign.

Offensively, he also would be a help. He's a lifetime .242 hitter with 47 career home runs and 78 stolen bases. His best year was 2023 when he hit .260 with 17 homers, 60 RBI and 38 steals.

The Jays currently have Bichette penciled in at shortstop, but they have an opening at second base where guys like Ernie Clement and Will Wagner could be options.

It should also be noted that the report says infield is more of a fallback option for Toronto. Signing a corner outfielder like Juan Soto likely remains the priority.

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