Padres' late-season promotion all but slams door on Ha-Seong Kim injury return

The San Diego Padres made a roster move on Sunday before they took field for the final 2024 regular season game at Petco Park. Unfortunately, it wasn't the move the Friar faithful wanted to see.

The Padres selected the contract of Nick Ahmed, placed infielder Mason McCoy on the 10-day IL with a back injury, and moved right-handed pitcher Jhony Brito from the minor-league roster to the 60-day IL.

The Padres will be the fourth NL West franchise that Ahmed has suited up for in the last few months. And while adding the two-time Gold Glove Award-winner certainly offers a defensive upgrade behind Xander Bogaerts at shortstop, it definitely doesn't bode well for the impending return of Ha-Seong Kim.

Adding Nick Ahmed likely closes the door on Ha-Seong Kim's return to the Padres lineup

When it comes to Kim's injury status, Padres fans have been dying to hear some sort of positive update. The most recent news suggested Kim was progressing, but it's nowhere near where the Padres' front office had hoped.

Kim injured his shoulder a little over a month ago, and the Friars have been forced to reshuffle their infield of late. Bogaerts has returned to shortstop with a rotation of Jake Cronenworth, Luis Arráez, and Donovan Solano floating between first and second on a nightly basis. Though these changes have not derailed San Diego's postseason aspirations in the slightest, there's no denying that the Padres are a better team with Kim on the field and in the starting lineup.

Kim has been rehabbing for the past few weeks, but the slick-fielding shortstop hasn't been able to throw across the diamond. While recent reports suggest he's ramping up for a return, the Padres' are wrapping up the regular season this week with upcoming series against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks.

There's almost no way that one can imagine Kim returning for the Padres' final week of the 2024 regular season. The hope, however, is that Kim's rehab continues and perhaps the 30-year-old can find his way onto the Padres playoff roster sometime during the month of October.

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