Padres News: Ha-Seong Kim's Recent Play Has His Value Among MLB Stars

Friars infielder is having the best season of his career thus far

Your San Diego Padres 2023 season has been somewhat of a nightmarish start. Injuries have struck them, bad play has struck them, and they can't seem to get runners across the board when needed. It's been very uncharacteristic of the Padres considering the type of talent they have in their roster.

Still, it's been disappointing, but one of their role players is having himself an excellent start to the 2023 season in infielder Ha-Seong Kim. Through 56 games, Kim is showing what he can do with his glove and bat, and because of that, he lands in a premier company in the WAR category. 

Padres' INF Ha-Seong Kim is one of the most valuable players according to WAR this year (2.8).

He ranks 7th in all of MLB & 2nd to only Ronald Acuna (3.3) in the NL.

Think about that. The only player more valuable according to that metric in the National League is Acuna. ⭐

— Mickey Koke (@mickeykoke) June 6, 2023

Ha-Seong Kim has a 2.8 WAR tied for seventh in the entire league, with guys like Mookie Betts, Dansby Swanson, and his teammate Juan Soto behind him. 

This is his third year in the league, and so far, this is his best. He is slashing ..251/.348/.394 with a .742 OPS (all of which are career highs right now), five homers, 19 RBIs, and a 110 OPS+. 

Kim has come a long way from his rookie season, as he struggled mightily along with the team as they failed to make the playoffs in 2021. Now, he has found himself and is proving he belongs in the league and deserves to be an everyday player. The 27-year-old has become a vital player for the Friars and is no pushover in the lineup. 

It's been great seeing his growth, and we can't wait to see what else he brings to the table this season.