Padres News: Mike Shildt Confirms Xander Bogaerts Will Change Positions This Season
San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt confirmed on Friday morning that Xander Bogaerts and Ha-Seong Kim are switching positions.
Kim was the primary shortstop in 2022 and won a Gold Glove as the National League’s top utility defender last season.
“Xanders is coupling with us,” Shildt said Friday. “... My admiration for Xander Bogaerts went through the roof in this transition. … I can’t say it’s etched in stone 100 percent. We’re going to let him do it. We’re gonna see what it looks like. We’re gonna evaluate it. But he’s all in right now to go over (and) give it its full due."
Ironically, this decision continues a rare trend for the club. The Padres signed shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. to a 14-year contract in 2021. He played one more year there before moving to the outfield.
Bogaerts signed an 11-year, $280 million contract before last season with the understanding that at some point he would move to another position but concidentally, it's one year after he signed his long-term deal.
“My admiration for him to be a good teammate, to recognize that we have an elite defender in Kimmy to go back and play shortstop, I just admire. It’s very impressive, and it speaks a lot for his team-first, I-care-about-our-group, big-picture (mentality).”
Bogaerts is expected to address the media on Friday afternoon.
