Ha-Seong Kim's rehab with Padres raises red flags despite receiving live at-bats

The San Diego Padres have weathered the storm after losing shortstop Ha-Seong Kim to a shoulder injury earlier this month. The Padres' slick-fielding shortstop injured himself diving back into a base, and while it was initially assumed that Kim wouldn't need a stint on IL, further testing revealed it was necessary.

Kim was only supposed to remain on the injured list for the 10-day minimum, but that timeline has since been adjusted. Kim is currently at the Padres' training facility in Arizona and is readying for a return to the big leagues. All reports are positive, and Kim is taking live at-bats.

But while that update would usually bring comfort, there's another tidbit that should bring a measure of concern to the Friar faithful. Though Kim is fielding ground balls, the Padres' shortstop has yet to throw across the diamond. That could pose a problem going forward.

Ha-Seong Kim's rehab raises red flags despite receiving live at-bats

Kim isn't necessarily a black hole in the lineup that Mike Shildt buries in the eighth or ninth spot, but the 28-year-old isn't a middle-of-the-order masher either. Kim possesses solid bat-to-ball skills, rarely strikes out, and draws a considerable amount of walks. And while all those are admirable qualities, the harsh reality is that Kim is a glove-first shortstop.

Though there's nothing inherently wrong with that, it does limit how Shildt can manage the roster if Kim is limited in any way defensively. The Friars are already overloaded on infielders and are routinely forced to deploy Donovan Solano, Xander Bogaerts, or Luis Arráez as the team's designated hitter. The last thing San Diego needs is another infielder who can't, well, play the infield.

So while Kim's update is positive in nature, the Padres' roster won't really allow him to take on the role that Manny Machado held at the outset of the 2024 season. Machado was recovering from offseason surgery and limited to just a DH while Eguy Rosario, Tyler Wade, and others covered the hot corner.

The Padres need Kim back in the lineup, but only when he's 100% healthy. The Padres could use his bat, but it's Kim's glove that's more valuable.

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