Lingering Injury to Padres' Ha-Seong Kim Gives Opportunity to Veteran Teammate

Maren Angus-Coombs | Sep 12, 2024

Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images

With San Diego Padres shortstop Ha-Seong Kim's shoulder injury taking longer to heal, manager Mike Shildt has had to make a few changes to his infield lineup, allowing a former shortstop to play his old position again.

Xander Bogaerts made his first start at shortstop this season while Donovan Solano got the start at first base behind right-handed pitcher Yu Darvish on Tuesday.

Padres’ manager Mike Shildt discussed the lineup changes and Kim’s progress — or the lack thereof — prior to the team's penultimate game in Seattle.

“The Bogaerts decision starts with Kim not being back,” said Shildt. “So, we have a void at shortstop. (Mason) McCoy has done a nice job. This creates an opportunity for Bogaerts. We talked to him a couple different times, most recently Sunday.

“Bogie said he’s comfortable going over there. He’s comfortable with this field, having played in the American League. He felt good about it. This also creates an opportunity for Solano to get into the lineup. So, it’s a lot of variables and that’s where the lineup is today.

“Every lineup is independent of every other lineup. So, we’ll just continue to look at it and let you know when we post the lineup tomorrow.”

Mike Shildt discussed what went into the decision to move Xander Bogaerts back to shortstop, if he'll continue to play shortstop while Ha-Seong Kim is out, the latest update on Kim and whether or not Yu Darvish will be on a pitch count tonight: pic.twitter.com/LtcxIzjY1l

— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) September 11, 2024

Shildt also discussed a pause in Kim's rehab progression.

 “I’m sure I mentioned last time, we had a day off and he had a day off as well,” Shildt said of Kim. “He’s still where he was a couple days ago, sort of in a holding pattern on his throwing. When we’re trying to get the progression back again. He wasn’t able to take that next step.”

“I don’t know on when he returns. Once a guy doesn’t take that next step … clearly, it’s not a step back but it’s not a step forward. So, he’s not able to progress and we’ve short of flat-lined and we’ll just have to evaluate it.”

“Moving Bogaerts to short and Jake (Cronenworth) to second creates an opportunity for Solano. Donovan has had a tremendous year for us. This lengthens the lineup.”

Bogaerts went 0-for-4 at the plate in his season debut at his old position but the attention was on third baseman Manny Machado who slugged his164th home run of his six-year Padres tenure, moving him past slugger Nate Colbert into the top spot.

On Friday in San Diego, Machado tied Colbert for first on the franchise list with a two-homer game. His first homer that night moved him past Adrián González into second place.