Report: Padres Infielder Drawing 'Significant' Trade Interest

Will San Diego pull the trigger on moving their star?

The San Diego Padres' offseason has looked very different than in years past. It has been the front office shed salary, allowing multiple talented players to leave in free agency.

The team has also traded away star Juan Soto and could be on the verge of moving another big contributor from the 2023 squad.

According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the Padres are fielding a ton of interest in infielder Ha-Seong Kim. There has been talk about the team moving Kim this offseason, but nothing has come close to happening yet.

“(The Padres) continue to draw significant trade interest in second baseman Ha-Seong Kim, according to sources briefed on the discussions. Kim is eligible for free agency at the end of the season, but he was among the Padres’ best players in 2023, so the acquisition cost would be high.”

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Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic

Kim was one of the better players for the Padres a year ago. He led the team's position players in Baseball Reference's version of Wins Above Replacement and collected some downballot MVP votes. He finished with a .260 batting average, 17 home runs and 60 runs batted in. He also added 38 stolen bases, showing off his versatility on offense and defense.

The Padres intend to remain competitive next season in a challenging National League West. It could see them making it almost impossible for a team to meet their required asking price to move him.

Kim's reliability throughout the 2023 season was one of the few reasons San Diego stayed alive as long as it did. Kim has also become a fan favorite on two continents. Moving him won't be an easy to sell to fans on the verge of a two-game series in South Korea.

Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller always seems to pull a trick out of his sleeve, and a trade of Kim could be his next move. With Kim scheduled to be a free agent next offseason, moving him now could net San Diego some needed resources.