Kim's glove already Major League material

SAN DIEGO -- Sure, when the Padres signed Ha-Seong Kim to a four-year contract during the offseason, they envisioned more production at the plate. Through his first 31 games, Kim is hitting .195, and his OPS dipped below .500 on Friday night.

Then again, the Padres also figured there might be some growing pains. And if there were, that was OK, too, because they figured Kim would still bring plenty of value with his glove.

Sure enough, Kim has been one of the Padres' most valuable defenders through the first six weeks of the season, even with limited playing time. He has been a plus defender at second base, shortstop and third, and his 5 defensive runs saved among the three positions are the most on the team.

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The Padres remain staunch in their belief that Kim eventually will hit. He was one of the best all-around hitters in Korea before signing with San Diego during the offseason. But the Padres are also fine with an acclimation period at the plate, if Kim brings this kind of value defensively.

"I'm just playing the same way I've been playing my whole career," Kim said through an interpreter. "I'm just going to go out there and make plays. I think the hitters here have more speed, more power. So I just have to be quicker, be more ready."

Kim's rookie season has been stop and start so far. He got regular at-bats earlier this season when shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. landed on the injured list with a partially dislocated left shoulder. Now Kim gets another chance to take center stage with Tatis on the IL after testing positive for COVID-19.

However much Tatis has struggled defensively this year, shortstop is his when he returns, no questions asked. But if Kim can get his bat going during the current stretch, it would give the Padres a reliable option to spell Tatis or third baseman Manny Machado. Meanwhile, considering the versatility of second baseman Jake Cronenworth, the Padres could have all sorts of options to mix and match.

"Obviously, Tatis is one of our best players, and the whole team wants him back as soon as possible," Kim said. "I want him back. But it's my job to stay focused, go out there do my best, make plays and stay ready."

He's making plays all right. In the Padres’ 5-4 victory over the Cardinals on Friday night, Kim turned a pair of nifty double plays at crucial junctures. With the bases loaded in the third inning, Kim doubled up Nolan Arenado with a crisp turn at second. Then in the sixth, Tommy Edman bounced a slow chopper toward the bag. Kim composed himself, managed to step on second base as he ran by it and made an impressive jump-throw to first.

Asked to sum up Kim's defensive game, manager Jayce Tingler had this to say: "He's in the right spots, he's pretty sure-handed and he's a good thrower. He makes the outs that are supposed to be outs outs, and he's also mixed a couple plus plays in there."

Indeed, Kim's defense hasn't been all that flashy (Friday’s double play aside). But he has been asked to cover three different positions, and he has been steady at all three.

If – and the Padres are quick to say "when" -- his bat comes around, he’s an immensely valuable player.

"He's got to continue to play defense to stay in the lineup," Tingler said. "And I want to see some adjustments at the plate, especially as you start to see the league a little bit, especially as you start to see pitchers a second and third time. ... He's starting to have a little bit more comfortable at-bats."

Worth noting
• Tingler wouldn’t divulge when right-hander Dinelson Lamet will pitch next, only to say it will come at some point in the “next couple days.” Lamet is building up slowly from the strained right UCL that forced him to miss the postseason and hasn’t pitched more than two innings in any of his last three starts. Tingler declined to specify Lamet’s role, too, perhaps leaving open the possibility that he might pitch in relief, something he’s never done in four seasons in the big leagues. But Lamet is a clear candidate to start Monday night against the Rockies.

• Tingler noted that both Wil Myers and Tatis remain asymptomatic after testing positive for COVID-19 earlier this week. Both players are quarantining and afterward must test negative twice and pass a series of MLB protocols before returning to the field.