Angels Rumors: Could LA Find Their Shortstop Via Trade With the Padres?
The Padres' signing of Xander Bogaerts was...interesting. You can't blame them for going all in and wanting as many top players as they can get. But at the same time, the Padres already had a Gold Glove finalist shortstop in Ha-Seong Kim, and are getting shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. back this season. They already moved Manny Machado, a former shortstop, to third base, and now, they're adding Bogaerts into the mix.
It's a little messy, but again, you can't blame them for going all in on getting top-tier talent. However, with the logjam they've created in the infield, there could be some room for the Angels to swoop in and help them clean it up. Dennis Lin of The Athletic reported that Kim and outfielder Trent Grisham could be available in potential trade talks.
"Industry sources, however, have indicated that San Diego is open to discussing [Kim or Grisham] — Grisham, in particular."
Grisham wouldn't be a great fit for the Angels, as they already have three solid outfielders in Mike Trout, Taylor Ward and Hunter Renfroe. Kim, however, would be a great fit as the everyday shortstop.
The 27-year-old was a very solid player last year, taking over at the shortstop position after Tatis got hurt and then suspended. In 150 games, he hit .251 with 11 home runs, 59 RBIs and 51 walks in 582 plate appearances. He played 131 games at shortstop, and finished as a Gold Glove finalist with 10 defensive runs saved above average.
The Angels' biggest lineup need right now is at the shortstop position. They've added potential depth guys in Gio Urshela and Brandon Drury, but neither seem to be everyday shortstop plans. That means, it'll either be Luis Rengifo or David Fletcher as the everyday shortstop, which wouldn't exactly give the Angels a ton of confidence.
Kim's stability would be a nice addition to the Angels' lineup, the only question is, do they have enough of a return to convince the Padres to make a deal happen?
