Korean Insider Reports Padres Calling Up Sung-Mun Song in Surprise Move

A report from a Korean news outlet, Naver, says the San Diego Padres are calling up infielder Sung-Mun Song amid their series with the San Francisco Giants.

The report says that Song will be called up ahead of the Padres' game on Tuesday, May 5, which is May 6 in Korea.

Song, 29, joined the Padres this offseason on a four-year, $15 million deal after spending nine seasons in the Korea Baseball Organization. He entered spring training as a lock to make the Opening Day roster, but suffered an oblique injury that forced him to open the season on the injured list.

Song completed his rehab assignment but was kept in Triple-A as the team wanted to see more from him before calling him up to the majors. Then, when the Padres went to Mexico City, Song was called up as the 27th man, and made his MLB debut in the second game of the series as a pinch runner.

“It’s really exciting to be here,” Song said at the time through interpreter Jun Yi. “It’s like a dream for me.”

“It might be two days for this Mexico series, but I will do whatever I need to do to contribute to the team," he added. "I was on a hot streak at Triple-A. So hopefully I bring that here.”

After the game, Song was optioned back to Triple-A, where he's continued to adjust to major league velocity.

Song's bat has been heating up as of late, even hitting his first career home run on Sunday. Overall, across 25 games, Song is slashing .293/.364/.354 with one home run, 15 runs batted in, 27 strikeouts to 11 walks and an OPS of .718.

“He fits our roster well — I think we thought that in the offseason when we signed him,” manager Crag Stammen said during the series in Mexico. “Unfortunately he had the oblique injury in spring training that kind of set him back. But excited to have him here in Mexico City. We definitely feel like we can use him as that extra infielder on defense and a left-handed pinch-hitter that we don’t normally have.”

Who Would Sung-Mun Song Replace on Padres Roster?

It's currently unclear who Song would be replacing on the Padres roster.

Only three position players — Jackson Merrill, Gavin Sheets and Freddy Fermin — have options, and none are getting sent down.

There are no clear candidates to be designated for assignment, although if anyone were to be DFA'd, it would seemingly be Nick Castellanos.

Thus, it's possible someone is going on the injured list, but it remains to be seen who.

Jake Cronenworth, the Padres' everyday second baseman, has struggled mightily this season, hitting just .144 with one home run, four RBIs and an OPS of .468.

“It’s obviously not the start I want,” Cronenworth said recently. “It’s been really frustrating. I don’t think I’ve put in a better work of offseason going into spring training. Same thing in spring training, and for this to be the start that I have is obviously really frustrating for me. But I think at the end of the day, I can trust in the process. It’s been really, really hard, and I’ve stayed here late after games to hit in the cage. I’ve gotten here at noon to hit early."

“Hasn’t been easy, but it’s one of those things you never hope it happens, but come out stronger on the other side.”

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