More Information Comes Out on Potential Contract Offers For Hye-seong Kim
The Seattle Mariners offseason has progressed slower than normal and several players the team was expected to sign or have a chance to sign have chosen other homes for 2025.
There's been many rumors and a lot of speculation over potential Mariners targets. But so far in the offseason, the team has been confirmed to offer contracts to just two players: first baseman Carlos Santana and another to Hye-seong Kim.
Santana chose to sign with the Cleveland Guardians, and Kim chose to join the defending World Series champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Seattle was in contract negotiations with Santana throughout the offseason and was tied to Kim months before he was posted by Korean Baseball Organization team the Kiwoom Heroes.
It seemed likely the Mariners were going to sign Kim but the Dodgers swept in the last 48 hours before the deadline for him to sign and picked him up. Kim signed for three years, $12.5 million. There's a two-year option included in the contract that if picked up would make the deal worth five years, $22 million.
Hyeseong Kim. Dodger. 🇰🇷
— Shawn Spradling (@Shawn_Spradling) January 3, 2025
Enjoy his elite defensive highlight reel
pic.twitter.com/23cLE6twgI
Even if Los Angeles didn't offer a contract at the last second, Seattle wouldn't have had the best offer on the table.
Per a report from KBO in English on "X" (@KBO_ENG), the Mariners' American League West rivals, the Los Angeles Angels, had a $28 million offer on the table for Kim.
In addition to the Dodgers, Angels and Seattle, the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres also had contract offers on the table. But there was no concrete information on what the terms of those deals were.
After all
— KBO in English (@KBO_ENG) January 3, 2025
LAD winning bid is an offer with a maximum* of 5 years, $22 million (12.5M guaranteed)
LAA offered $28 million
SEA, CHI, SD also made offers but came up short as well https://t.co/La4QMrlQN8
The Mariners have been criticized by fans and media this offseason for their self-imposed payroll restrictions. But it seems like in this case, the money played no factor.
With Los Angeles, Kim will have a chance to compete for a championship. He also has the potential for long-term security if his contract option is picked up and will play alongside the best player in baseball, Shohei Ohtani, and one of his former teammates from the World Baseball Classic, Tommy Edman.
It will be interesting to see how Seattle bounces back from missing out on Kim with a little over a month until pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training.
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