Inside The Rays

Tampa Bay Rays Infielder Ha-Seong Kim Leaves Sunday Loss With Left-Foot Injury

Bumps and bruises continue to plague Tampa Bay Rays infielder Ha-Seong Kim as the organization's top-paid player left Sunday's game after fouling a ball off his left foot.
Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Ha-Seong Kim (7) makes a throw to first as Detroit Tigers outfielder Matt Vierling (8) slides into second in the fourth inning at Comerica Park.
Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Ha-Seong Kim (7) makes a throw to first as Detroit Tigers outfielder Matt Vierling (8) slides into second in the fourth inning at Comerica Park. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

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The Tampa Bay Rays' 10-day road trip before the All-Star break was taxing, especially for infielder Ha-Seong Kim.

After rehabbing from shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum, which kept him out of the Rays lineup for more than half the season, Kim exited his long-awaited debut against the Minnesota Twins in the opening game of the road trip on July 4 with a calf cramp. On Sunday, the final game of the trip -- in which the Boston Red Sox swept the Rays -- Kim was injured again.

In the seventh inning, Kim fouled a pitch from Boston's Brayan Bello off his left foot and immediately went down. Kim eventually finished the at-bat, but left the game shortly after due to left foot pain.

He has played in just five games for the Rays.

Luckily for the Rays, it isn't believed to be a serious injury.

After the game, Rays manager Kevin Cash said the X-rays on Kim's foot were negative.

"We'll see how he feels tomorrow," Cash added.

The Rays signed Kim to a two-year, $29 million deal in February. He will earn $13 million in 2025, making him the highest-paid player on the roster. Kim has a player option for 2026 and will earn $16 million if he doesn't opt out.

Before coming to Tampa, Kim began his MLB career with the San Diego Padres, spending four seasons with the club and becoming a Gold Glove winner in 2023. Before transitioning to the Majors, Kim was touted as a top international free agent of the 2020 offseason and one of the top free agents in baseball in 2021 before being signed by the Padres.

In 2014, Kim made a scorching debut in the Korean Baseball Organization at the age of 18. In his final season with the Kiwoom Heroes, he hit 30 homers and 24 doubles while producing a .306 batting average and stealing 23 bases.

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Don Strouble
DON STROUBLE

Don Strouble is a sports journalist who covers Tampa Bay Rays baseball and other sports for the ‘’On SI’’ network. He is a Northeast Ohio native and currently lives in Orlando, Fla.

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