<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3zO8mR_0w4fefZW00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3zO8mR_0w4fefZW00" width="1600" height="900" ><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kimha01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-10-12_br">Ha-Seong Kim</a> underwent labrum surgery on his right shoulder on Thursday. The Padres never provided a timeline for the infielder’s return, but <a href="https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2024/10/12/padres-daily-quiet-ending-to-an-excellent-ride-merrills-sadness-arraezs-hopes/">Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune</a> sheds some light on the recovery. According to Acee, Kim is targeting mid-late April or early May for his return to game action.If he’s able to stay on that trajectory, Kim could be available for the majority of next season. Kim, who turns 29 next week, now represents one of the more interesting risk-reward plays in the free-agent class. He’s still a lock to decline his end of a mutual option. The Padres could make him a $21.05M qualifying offer, but that’d be a risky decision this early into his recovery from shoulder surgery. QO decisions are due within five days of the conclusion of the World Series. That’ll only afford the Padres about three weeks to gauge Kim’s health before making that call.It seems unlikely the Padres would take that gamble. That’d allow Kim to hit free agency unencumbered by draft compensation. If healthy, he’d probably be in line for a contract of four-plus seasons. At his best, he’s only behind <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/adamewi01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-10-12_br">Willy Adames</a> among middle infielders in the upcoming class. Adames is the only other impending free agent who profiles as an everyday shortstop. Kim has demonstrated that he can play plus defense at second and third base, as well, so he’d make sense for a broad range of teams.Clubs’ evaluations of Kim’s shoulder will play an important role in his free-agent process. If teams believe he’ll be fully recovered within the first month or two of next season, the injury theoretically shouldn’t have a huge impact on demand. That’s a big caveat, so it’s possible Kim’s market dips to the point where he considers a short-term deal.Kim recently hired the Boras Corporation as his representation. A few rehabbing high-profile Boras clients have signed two-year contracts that allow them to opt out after the first season. <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/confomi01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-10-12_br">Michael Conforto</a> signed for $36M with the Giants after missing the entire 2022 season to shoulder surgery. Last winter, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hoskirh01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-10-12_br">Rhys Hoskins</a> inked a $34M deal with the Brewers a season removed from a spring training ACL tear.Neither of those contracts have worked out especially well for the team. Conforto passed on his opt-out after a middling first season in San Francisco. Hoskins will probably do the same with Milwaukee. Kim is a very different player than Conforto or Hoskins — a lot more of his value is tied in his defense — but that’s a general path he might look to follow.<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5838067/2024/10/12/padres-jackson-merrill-extension-offseason/?source=emp_shared_article">The Athletic’s Dennis Lin</a> wrote that the Padres would like to bring Kim back, but he notes that the infielder could price himself out of San Diego’s range. That’d leave the Friars with a question at shortstop. San Diego used <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bogaexa01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-10-12_br">Xander Bogaerts</a> at the position down the stretch. Lin indicates the Padres prefer to move Bogaerts back to second base next season. <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/merrija01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-10-12_br">Jackson Merrill</a> came up as a shortstop prospect but played all 1,300-plus innings in center field as a rookie. Merrill had a fantastic debut campaign, so the Padres could decide to leave him in center.</div></body>

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Insider sheds light on Gold Glove-winning IF's recovery timeline

Ha-Seong Kim underwent labrum surgery on his right shoulder on Thursday. The Padres never provided a timeline for the infielder’s return, but Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune sheds some light on the recovery. According to Acee, Kim is targeting mid-late April or early May for his return to game action.

Insider sheds light on Gold Glove-winning IF's recovery timeline

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