“The $10 million mutual option is a lock he should refuse for his part.”
Blitzer Report once again predicted the 2024-2025 FA market on the 21st (Korea time). Top rankers were ranked. Kim Ha-sung (29, San Diego Padres) ranked 12th. The media has recently ranked the FA several times and consistently included Kim Ha-sung in the top 10, but not this time.
This is because Kim Ha-sung has been out of the game for more than a month after injuring his right shoulder while hitting a hit in an away game against the Colorado Rockies on August 19 and returning to first base on the opponent’s check ball. It seemed to be a minor injury in the first place, but it was not. Kim Ha-sung complained of pain while making a throw in the process of trying to return once earlier this month, and recently rested again.
According to MLB.com , Kim Ha-sung played catch again ahead of the home game against the Miami Marlins on Wednesday. He did not say that he was sick. The pain seems to have disappeared when he threw the ball. However, the timing of his return to the team is still unknown. San Diego has only eight games left this season. Triple-A, a rehabilitation game, will also end this season by the end of this week.
U.S. media recently predicted that Kim Ha-sung may finish the season as it is in the worst case, and in that case, he may have to accept the mutual option he signed with San Diego in the 2025 season. It means that he may exercise his FA status in the 2025-2026 FA market after spending next year with a $10 million (about 13.4 billion won) option that is hung as a kind of safety device. 메이저놀이터
However, if Kim can return to the team at the end of the regular season or the post season, there is no reason to accept the option. It is because it is recommended that players exercise their FA status even one year earlier. Moreover, Kim Ha-sung will turn 30 next year. It is completely different from exercising his FA status at the age of 29.
Blitzer Report said, “Kim Ha-sung displays elite defense, power and speed in multiple infield positions. He is one of the most valuable all-around players in the FA market. He had a WAR of 5.8 with 38 steals in 152 games last season, and posted a total of WAR of 15.3 during his four-year, $28 million contract with the San Diego Padres. The option of 10 million dollars in 2025 is a lock that Kim Ha-sung should reject.”
Eventually, the value and ransom in the FA market are expected to be determined by how much Kim Ha-sung returns to show off his health and shows off his performance. It is also an important postseason for San Diego, but the upcoming postseason is also really important for Kim Ha-sung. The prospect of a $100 million contract is difficult to affirm or deny at this point due to this injury issue.