Padres Reportedly Shopping Ha-Seong Kim and Jake Cronenworth
The San Diego Padres are doing what they can to bring themselves back into relevance for next season. After a frustrating year in 2023 that saw them miss the postseason, San Diego's front office has a lot of work to do this winter.
MLB Insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today has reported that the Padres are shopping both first baseman Jake Cronenworth and infielder Ha-Seong Kim this winter. He does mention that neither will likely be dealt this offseason, but the fact that they are looking to move them is interesting.
The front office has been shopping Cronenworth all offseason, as they look to get off his contract. He is signed through 2030, earning $12 million each year after 2025.
Last season, he hit .229 with 10 home runs and 48 runs batted in over 127 games played. It was a down year for Cronenworth, and his contract is beginning to look like a bit of an albatross.
But the team looking into moving Kim is the story here.
Kim is loved by the fanbase and was one of the few consistent players from a season ago. However, he is entering the final guaranteed year of his contract, and they could be looking to sell high on him. He does have a mutual option for 2025 worth $7 million, but it will likely be declined.
He hit .260 with 17 home runs and 60 runs batted in this past season. Kim showed up every time he took the field, and posted a WAR of 5.8 for the year.
Fans may be unhappy if they were to move him, depending on what they got back of course. But the front office is leaving no stone unturned in trying to get themselves back into a spot of contention.
