Raising the possibility of “one pot rice” with Ryu Hyun-jin, “ideal recruitment”
If you want to buy Kim Ha Sung, you have to give 3 promising players… Raising the possibility of “one pot rice” with Ryu Hyun-jin, “ideal recruitment”
Will the day come when Ryu Hyun-jin (Toronto Blue Jays) and Kim Ha-seong (San Diego Padres) eat rice together? Local media predicted a ‘realistic scenario’.
The possibility of recruiting Kim Ha-sung, mentioning the ‘ideal and realistic blueprint of the Toronto Blue Jays at the trade deadline’.
Toronto is challenging to advance to the postseason for the second year in a row following last year. As of the 29th, Toronto recorded a season win rate of 0.558 (58 wins, 46 losses), ranking third in the Eastern Division of the American League. It is difficult with 58 games remaining, with 5.5 games ahead of Baltimore, the number one team in the district, but it is possible to challenge for the championship. In addition, Toronto has a high possibility of advancing to the playoffs as it is ranked 3rd in the wild card, which is the right to advance to the postseason.
Accordingly, Toronto is expected to reinforce its power ahead of the trade deadline (August 1). Initially, Toronto general manager Ross Atkins mentioned reinforcing starting pitchers as his number one goal. However, as Ryu Hyun-jin, who underwent Tommy John surgery, was confirmed to return in the game against Baltimore on the 2nd, the starting lineup was freed up, and Toronto’s trade strategy was completely revised.
The media predicted that Toronto will recruit talented prospects, not “half-year leases” with free agents at the forefront. In addition, the media mentioned outfielder Dalton Basho (27), who Toronto recruited ahead of this season. Basho, who is in his fourth year in the big league this year, will become a free agent at the end of the 2026 season, so the media predicted that Toronto will take a player with the remaining service time.
At the same time, the name that the media brought up was Kim Ha-sung. Ahead of the 2021 season, he signed a four-year, $28 million contract with the San Diego Padres as a mutual option in 2025, and, like Basho, qualifies as a free agent ahead of the 2027 season. There are a lot of happy hours, and I’m 31 years old in the last season before coming to the market, so I’m appropriate for my age.
Here, Kim Ha-sung is at the top of the league this season, with a batting average of 0.274, 14 home runs, 37 RBIs, and 20 steals OPS of 0.814 in 99 games until the 29th, and is on the verge of achieving 20 (home runs)-20 (stealing) for the first time in Asia, and maintaining the top second baseman in defense. Baseball Statistics Site Baseball Reference’s WAR (contributions to alternate wins) is 5.2, tied for first place with Ronald Acuna Jr. (Atlanta) among fielders.
The media explained, “Ha-seong Kim is a shortstop, but in San Diego, there are high-payers, so he has settled as a second baseman with elite defense.” Kim Ha-seong, who was the starting shortstop last year, moved to second base after veteran shortstop Xander Bogarts , who signed a 280 million dollar (357.8 billion won) contract this year in 2011. The media commenting on Kim Ha-sung’s excellent defense evaluated, “This season, he has also made progress in batting.”
At the same time, the media added, “The contract period remains until 2024, and considering the position, productivity against lefties (a career OPS 0.796 against lefties), and future ransom, it can be said to be an ideal recruitment.”
Then, what will Toronto pay for Ha-sung Kim? The media mentioned three players: right-hander Sem Robers, outfielder Gabriel Martinez, and shortstop Leo Jimenez. All of these players are ranked in the top 20 on the team in the prospect rankings of the MLB Pipeline, a prospect specialization channel on the official major league website (Robers 7th, Martinez 12th, Jimenez 19th). In order to take one Kim Ha-seong, they had to give up three players.
Currently, Toronto’s main second baseman is Whit Merrifield ), a former stolen baseman. He only hit 2 homers until June, but in July alone, he recorded 6 homers, a batting average of 0.373, and an OPS of 1.035, wielding a heavy blow. However, it is a stumbling block that he is a bit old and that he can enter the free agency market after this season. Accordingly, Toronto may also need Kim Ha-seong, considering the next season.
If Ha-seong Kim goes to Toronto, he will set a record for the first time ever. Together with Ryu Hyun-jin, it is ‘Korean two-other potted rice’. Kim Byung-hyun and Kim Seon-woo (Colorado), Seo Jae-eung and Koo Dae-seong (New York Mets), Seo Jae-eung and Ryu Je-guk (Tampa Bay), who were on the same team earlier, are pitchers, and Choi Ji-hwan and Bae Ji-hwan (Pittsburgh), who are currently on the same team, are a hitter. In 2018, Choo Shin-soo (now SSG) and Oh Seung-hwan (now Samsung) almost played together in Texas, but it was canceled when Oh was eliminated from the medical test.
Previously, Kim Ha-seong said in a recent interview with 스포츠토토, “All baseball players, including me, grew up watching (Ryu) Hyun-jin play.” Will we be able to see Korean two and other big leaguers playing on the same team?
BY: 안전놀이터