Kim Ha-sung (28, San Diego), who shines in “Gold Glove,” was frustrated due to a shoulder injury.
San Diego manager Mike Shildt announced Kim Ha-sung’s season out ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks match of the “2024 Major League Baseball (MLB)” at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona on the 29th (Korea time). 메이저사이트
After the match, Kim Ha-sung told local media, “I decided to have surgery to seal the rim of the shoulder joint (which is a little torn). I made every effort to return to the team as soon as possible and contribute to the team, but my body did not listen. I am so disappointed.”
Kim Ha-sung injured his shoulder while sliding while returning to the first base when checking the opposing pitcher during the game against Colorado (away) on the 19th of last month. Kim Ha-sung, who was replaced immediately, was on the injured list (IL) for the first time since his MLB debut in 2021. Since then, he has started rehabilitation, but the pain has not gone away, and he has not been able to make a perfect throw. Kim Ha-sung, who eventually decided to undergo surgery, will finish the 2023 season with a batting average of 0.233, 11 homers, 22 steals, and 47 RBIs.
San Diego advanced to the postseason for the first time in two years as the No. 1 NL wild card, but Kim Ha-sung was unable to play. In the 2022 postseason, Kim Ha-sung played well enough to score eight points in 12 games. If he had added his postseason performance just before he was signed as a free agent (FA), he could have pursued a greater plus effect, but he was frustrated by injuries and surgery.
However, that does not mean that Kim Ha-sung will give up the FA jackpot contract worth more than $100 million. Local experts predict that he is likely to enter the FA market even now.
Kim Ha-sung signed a “4+1” contract with San Diego in 2021 and entered the MLB stage. He was guaranteed a total of 28 million dollars (about 36.7 billion won) from 2021 to 2024, and mutual options were put on the line in 2025. As a result, Kim Ha-sung will extend his contract by one year and receive 8 million dollars (about 10.5 billion won) if he plays for San Diego, and 2 million dollars (about 2.6 billion won) if he declares himself as an FA and leaves the team.
However, given Kim Ha-sung’s current value, he is more likely to declare an FA than extend his contract with San Diego. “I haven’t thought about my future (such as an FA contract) yet, but it’s more important to get rid of the injury and build up your body so that you can play healthy next year,” Kim Ha-sung said.
Experts predict that a large contract will not be difficult for Kim Ha-sung, who is the second most valuable shortstop in the FA market after Willy Adames (Miladelphia Brewers), as long as he is confident that he can return to the market healthy next year.
It is a regrettable result that he will not be able to play in the postseason, but the possibility of Kim Ha-sung’s FA jackpot contract next year is still alive.