Dodgers Named Best Landing Spot for Projected $36 Million All-Star From NL West Rival

Valentina Martinez | 21 Hours Ago

Jun 25, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres left fielder Jurickson Profar (10) and shortstop Ha-Seong Kim (7) celebrate on the field after defeating the Washington Nationals at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images / Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers have already had a busy offseason, but it's reportedly about to get busier. There is a ton of speculation surrounding free agent Ha-Seong Kim joining the Dodgers.

Before the season came to an end, it was announced that Kim had hired Boras Corporation to represent him. Soon after, Kim declined his mutual option with the San Diego Padres.

Kim is expected to miss the start of the 2025 season while he recovers from shoulder surgery on this throwing shoulder. Nevertheless, Kim remains one of the best free-agent middle infielders on the market this winter.

Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly explains why Kim is a good fit for the reigning World Series champion.

"It would be a painful turn of events for Padres fans, but it makes quite a bit of sense. It seems that Mookie Betts will play one of the two middle-infield positions for the Dodgers in 2025, but if the plan is to utilize Tommy Edman in center field, the remaining options to fill the other middle infield spots internally are Miguel Rojas and Gavin Lux," Kelly wrote. "Max Muncy will remain at third base, but he's going to turn 35 next summer and played in just 73 regular season games this past year. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and manager Dave Roberts love players with positional flexibility, particularly if they can get them when their value is down. Padres fans might now want to hear it, but Kim feels like a perfect Dodger."

Kim is projected to land a four-year, $72 million contract this offseason, according to The Athletic. As the winter has unfolded, it seems less of a guarantee that free agent Teoscar Hernández will return to the Dodgers. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that the Dodgers are exploring other right-handed hitting options to potentially replace Hernández in the lineup. One of those alternative options is Kim.

“The potential options, according to sources briefed on the team’s discussions, include infielder Ha-Seong Kim in free agency and Chicago Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki, Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. and others in trade,” Rosenthal wrote. “How serious the Dodgers are about those pursuits – and how realistic some of them might be – remains to be seen.”

With multiple reports linking Kim to the Dodgers, it wouldn't be surprising if he was wearing Dodger blue next season.

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