Rays Sign Former Padres Shortstop Ha-Seong Kim to Two-Year Contract

Ha-seong Kim hit .233 with 11 home runs and 47 RBIs during the 2024 season with the San Diego Padres.
Ha-seong Kim hit .233 with 11 home runs and 47 RBIs during the 2024 season with the San Diego Padres. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays secured their new starting shortstop on Wednesday.

According to ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan, the Rays and Ha-seong Kim are in agreement on a two-year, $29 million contract that includes an opt-out after the first season.

Kim was limited to 121 games during the 2024 season with the San Diego Padres due to a shoulder injury. He underwent surgery in the fall and should be ready to return in May.

The 29-year-old was a three-time Gold Glove winner in the KBO for the Kiwoom Heroes before moving to Major League Baseball for the 2021 season. In December of 2020, the Padres inked Kim to a four-year, $28 million deal that featured a mutual option for a fifth season. Kim instantly became a fan favorite. He opted out of his contract following the 2024 campaign then hired Scott Boras and hit free agency.

Kim won a Gold Glove as a utility man in 2023 as the Padres used him primarily at shortstop and second base. He's coming off a 2024 campaign in which he slashed .233/.330/.370 with 11 home runs, 47 RBIs, a .700 OPS, and 22 stolen bases. That followed his best season, which was in 2023 where he slashed .260/.351/.398 with 17 home runs, 60 RBIs, 38 stolen bases, and an OPS of .749 to go with a career-best WAR of 5.8.

The Rays signed an excellent defender whose bat showed through in 2023. If they get that version of Kim, this deal could be a bargain.


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Ryan Phillips
RYAN PHILLIPS

Ryan Phillips is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in digital media since 2009, spending eight years at The Big Lead before joining SI in 2024. Phillips also co-hosts The Assembly Call Podcast about Indiana Hoosiers basketball and previously worked at Bleacher Report. He is a proud San Diego native and a graduate of Indiana University’s journalism program.