Kim matches longest hitting streak by player born in Korea

PHOENIX -- Ha-Seong Kim spent his first two Major League seasons trying to establish himself. That has been emphatically accomplished in 2023.

Kim has turned into one of San Diego’s most valuable players. In the Padres’ 10-5 victory over the D-backs on Friday night at Chase Field, his improvements paid off with an international distinction.

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Kim finished 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run, extending his hitting streak to 16 games. Not only is that the longest active hitting streak in the Majors, but it’s tied with Shin-Soo Choo for the longest MLB hitting streak by a player born in South Korea. (Choo’s streak came in 2013 for the Reds.)

Kim said he was honored to be able to have such a big accomplishment, especially with all the Korean players he watched growing up.

“I just respect all of them that played through here,” Kim said through interpreter Leo Bae. “All the Korean Major Leaguers that played here, I respect them. I watched them, and I wanted to be like them.”

When Kim got offered a contract from the Padres in December 2020, he saw it as a life-changing opportunity. Not only was it a significant contract that would help his family back home in South Korea, but it also meant he was going to play with the likes of Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado.

Being a newcomer to the Majors came with a lot of learning. Plenty of people offered Kim advice on how to navigate the MLB, but he knew to get a feel, he needed to experience it firsthand.

Often, he found himself watching from the dugout rather than being part of the action, something he wasn’t accustomed to in the KBO. And when he got a chance to see the field, Kim wasn’t able to fully capitalize on those opportunities -- he had a slash line of .235/.306/.372 in his first two seasons in the Majors.

As frustrated as he was, he knew had to put in the work to see his results blossom.

“It’s just about believing in myself,” Kim said. “I knew if I put my hard work every day and night in and out, eventually it was going to pay off. I just love trusting myself.”

Kim’s patience at the plate is a crucial factor in his success this season. He lowered his chase percentage (percent of the time he swings at pitches out of the zone) from 24.9% last year to 19.3%, which has helped up his walk percentage to 12.9%, which is tied for the 16th-highest among qualified hitters.

He ranks in the top 15 in both OBP (.382) and batting average (.290) among qualified hitters.

Kim has provided a much-needed spark since moving atop of the lineup. Among NL hitters with 30 games started in the leadoff spot, Kim ranks first in OBP (.434), fourth in slugging (.535) and third in batting average (.327).

But it’s not just his offense that has made him one of the Padres' most valuable players. He has excelled defensively, as his +8 outs above average at second base this season is fifth in the Majors. He also rates well in baserunning metrics and has 27 stolen bases.

“It's great,” Padres manager Bob Melvin said. “... He's been fantastic the entire season, probably our most consistent player.”

As much as Kim is grateful for these accomplishments, he cares more about being able to help his team, which happened on Friday. The Padres snapped a four-game losing streak and the offense broke out for 14 hits. The Padres defeated one of the clubs ahead of them in National League Wild Card standings.

“Eventually, [those streaks] are going to come to an end,” Kim said. “I'm not trying to think about it too much. I'm trying to help the team win the ballgame every night.”