“If I had told you during spring training that Ha-seong Kim would have a higher WAR than Manny Machado or Xander Bogaerts this year, would you have believed me?”
Although Kim Ha-seong (San Diego Padres) has been sluggish since September and has recently missed four consecutive games due to abdominal pain, it is clear that he has performed better than expected this season. The Athletic did not leave out Kim Ha-seong when selecting 20 players who had a breakout season on the 22nd (Korean time).
In 143 games this season, Ha-seong Kim recorded a batting average of 0.265, 17 home runs, 58 RBIs, 81 runs, 36 stolen bases, an on-base percentage of 0.356, a slugging percentage of 0.407, and an OPS of 0.763. In 13 games in September, his overall performance for the season sank slightly as he slipped to 9 hits in 54 at-bats, a batting average of 0.167, 6 RBIs, 5 runs, and 7 stolen bases.
Still, The Athletic said, “If Ha-sung Kim had said in spring training that his WAR would be higher than Machado or Bogaerts this year, would you have believed it? well. He did. Ha-seong Kim had a solid 2022 season, but his on-base percentage this season rose by about 3 pennies (0.356, last year’s 0.325). And his 17 home runs and 36 stolen bases are career highs. “He also played elite defense at second base.”
In fact, Ha-seong Kim is 3rd on the team with a WAR of 4.4 based on Fangraphs, following Juan Soto with 5.0 and Fernando Tatis Jr. with 4.5. He was ahead of Bo Gaerts at 4.3 and Machado at 3.1. 18th in the National League and 34th overall in the Major League. Based on Baseball Reference, his rating is 5.7, ranking second on the team after Blake Snell (5.7), sixth in the National League, and 11th overall in the Major League.
In a word, it is Kim Ha-seong’s delightful rebellion. Starting this season, he has been reborn as a center infielder who represents the Major League. If the four years of the 4+1 year contract worth up to $39 million (approximately 52 billion won) are completed in the 2024 season, he will qualify as a free agent. If he performs on par with this season next year, he is certain to be declared a free agent.
For Ha-seong Kim, the most important thing is to overcome abdominal pain and restore health. If he is able to return, he needs to add strength to San Diego’s fearsome last-minute effort. Let alone San Diego’s comeback to advance to the postseason, it is not a good idea to end the season like this, even for the sake of the Gold Glove race.
BY: 먹튀검증