Why the Padres should trade Ha-Seong Kim

The San Diego Padres are currently on the outside looking in regarding the National League playoff picture. They are one game behind the New York Mets, one-and-a-half games behind the St. Louis Cardinals and four games behind the Atlanta Braves. Staying in contention will require more than just a few changes lineup changes.

A big trade seems inevitable when Padres GM A.J. Preller is in the picture, especially if it means a playoff run is within reach. That means a beloved player such as infielder Ha-Seong Kim could be playing in a new home stadium by the July 30 trade deadline.

There's a clear log jam in the infield now that Xander Bogaerts is making his way back into the starting lineup following a fractured shoulder that had sidelined him since May. Kim looks to be the odd man out.

What makes Kim so versatile and such an important piece to the Padres roster is his ability to play anywhere in the infield, but every spot already has a solidified starter. Newly acquired Luis Arraez has taken over first base duties, Jake Cronenworth at second, Bogaerts slots in at shortstop and Manny Machado handles third.

One could argue that Kim could remain with the team and be the designated hitter while occasionally filling in around the infield, but with a .700 OPS he wouldn't be the most effective at the position. It would also diminish a lot of his value as his Gold Glove defense is important to what makes him a good player.

With his contract having a mutual option in 2025, it likely means that Kim is set to become a free agent at the end of the year and it's unlikely the Padres are looking to dish out the kind of money needed to keep him. Dennis Lin of The Athletic noted that Kim could make anywhere between $130 million to $150 million on a seven-year extension.

Kim still holds a lot of trade value, and with Fernando Tatis Jr. not having a set return date the Padres could really use someone more consistent than David Peralta to fill the All-Star-sized gap in right field. A few players that come to mind are Randy Arozarena, Taylor Ward or Ahmed Rosario. But even if the Padres don't get a big name in return for Kim and instead get a number of prospects, the team needs to get value now or might regret it later.