San Diego Padres morning after: MVP, LVP and unsung hero of the first half

San Diego Padres: Most Overlooked Player of the first 81 games

On a team filled with big names and big contracts, Ha-Seong Kim has been the glue that has often held things together in the first half.

Kim ended the first 81 games with a bang, slashing .358/.397/.623 over his last 15 games. That includes a series in Pittsburgh when he went 5-for-13 at the plate and smacked a home run in the smoky series finale on Thursday.

After serving as San Diego's leader in the category early in the season, Kim's 3.4 bWAR heading into Thursday was second on the team behind Fernando Tatis Jr. Yet, despite the numbers, Kim is likely not the first (or second ... or third) player mentioned if you were to ask Padres fans to name a member of the team who has made an impact in 2023.

Overlooked? Absolutely. Valuable? You better believe it.

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