Rays sign infielder Ha-Seong Kim to two-year contract

February 3rd, 2025

The Tampa Bay Rays have signed infielder Ha-Seong Kim to a two-year contract for the 2025-26 seasons, which includes a player option for 2026. The pact is worth up to $31 million if the option is exercised and performance escalators are met. To make room on the 40-man roster, left-handed pitcher Brandon Eisert was designated for assignment.

Kim, 29, hit .233/.330/.370 (94-for-403) with 16 doubles, three triples, 11 home runs, 47 RBI, 58 walks and 22 stolen bases over 121 games with the Padres in 2024. He was placed on the 10-day IL on August 20 (right shoulder inflammation) and underwent right shoulder surgery on October 12. Kim was one of three South Korean players to appear in the majors in 2024 along with Boston’s Rob Refsnyder and Pittsburgh’s Ji Hwan Bae.

From 2021-24, his 15.3 bWAR ranked second among Padres behind Manny Machado (17.7), and his 48 defensive runs saved ranked third in the National League behind Pittsburgh’s Ke’Bryan Hayes (72) and Colorado’s Ryan McMahon (59). He earned a Rawlings Gold Glove award as a utilityman in 2023 after being recognized as a finalist at shortstop in 2022.

Over 540 career major league games, Kim has slashed .242/.326/.380 (418-for-1,725) with 80 doubles, eight triples, 47 home runs, 200 RBI, 206 walks and 78 steals. He originally signed with the Padres as an international free agent on December 31, 2020, becoming the club’s first Korean-born position player.