TAMPA, Fla. -- The offseason began with a great deal of uncertainty for both Ha-Seong Kim and the Rays.
Kim entered free agency while recovering from surgery on his right shoulder, a procedure that will leave him unavailable for Opening Day and created some questions about his level of performance upon his return. The Rays, meanwhile, were left without a home ballpark after Hurricane Milton damaged Tropicana Field and forced them to play the coming season at Steinbrenner Field.
In the end, both sides navigated through that uncertainty to reach a deal that was officially announced Monday night. The Rays signed Kim to a two-year, $29 million contract that includes an additional $2 million in incentives this year (based on plate appearances) and a player option for the 2026 season. To make room for Kim on their 40-man roster, the Rays designated left-hander Brandon Eisert for assignment.
Whenever Kim is fully recovered, he will take over as Tampa Bay’s starting shortstop, bolstering a lineup in need of improvement while holding down a key spot in the infield.
“I'm very honored to join a very good organization like the Tampa Bay Rays, and I'm excited to spend a very competitive season with the Rays,” Kim said through interpreter David Lee during a Zoom press conference. “I know that this was a unique situation because of my shoulder injury, but I can say that I'm feeling great. The rehab is going great, and I want to thank again the Tampa Bay Rays organization for believing in me and giving me this opportunity to rehab and show who I am as a player 100 percent again.
“I'll try my best -- not just [in] rehab, but once I come back -- to win as many ballgames for the Tampa Bay Rays, and hopefully, we can win a World Series title together.”
Kim, 29, provided an encouraging update regarding his recovery from surgery to repair a small tear in the labrum of his right shoulder. He said he is “feeling great” and has started to hit and throw.
Initial estimates put Kim in line to return around May. But he wouldn’t put a timeline on his return, saying only that he is “grinding really hard to get back on the field as soon as possible.”
“As talented as he is, he's also a lot of fun to watch -- an incredibly entertaining player, as evidenced by his immense popularity in San Diego,” president of baseball operations Erik Neander said. “So while he won't be ready for Opening Day with us, the wait -- hopefully -- shouldn't be too long before we get to enjoy him ourselves and, ideally, at a point where we're off to a great start and are proving that we're going to be in contention for a postseason opportunity and more.”
Neander said the Rays expressed their interest in Kim “very early on” in the offseason, before they knew much about his rehabilitation or their own ballpark situation. The two sides gained clarity as the winter went on, leading to what agent Scott Boras called “a very beneficial situation for both parties.”
Kim said it was important for him to find an opportunity that allowed him to play shortstop, his natural position. He called it a “comfortable” spot for him and somewhere he can “show my truly best performance as a baseball player.”
Kim said the Rays’ temporary relocation to Steinbrenner Field was “definitely” a factor as he weighed his options, but he was reassured by what he’s heard about the facility and the fact that it will be up to Major League standards.
“I had a conversation with Scott, and it was a really easy decision for me because I knew that I was joining a very good team and it was a very good offer,” Kim said. “It was a really good offer that I couldn't really turn down.”
The Rays, meanwhile, were thrilled to land someone with his proven defensive ability -- he was a Gold Glove finalist at shortstop in 2022 and won the utility award in ’23 -- and offensive upside.
Neander said their assessments of Kim, based on both in-person scouting and evaluation from afar, were validated by the response they received when word surfaced about their agreement. He heard from current and former players, including franchise icon Evan Longoria, praising Kim’s energetic style of play and popularity among his former teammates.
“For those that have watched him in San Diego the last few years, you've seen an incredibly talented player that has helped that ballclub win in a variety of ways, something that we pride ourselves on here in Tampa Bay,” Neander said.