Padres in flux at shortstop with Kim (shoulder) on IL

SAN DIEGO -- The Padres will be without Ha-Seong Kim for at least another nine days, leaving question marks about how they’ll fill their vacancy at shortstop in the midst of a tight postseason race.

Kim landed on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday as he deals with right shoulder inflammation stemming from an awkward dive back into first base on Sunday in Colorado. The move is retroactive to Monday, with utility infielder Matthew Batten recalled from Triple-A El Paso in Kim’s place.

The Padres are hopeful Kim’s stint on the IL won’t last beyond the requisite 10 days. Manager Mike Shildt noted that the team thought it was possible Kim could have returned before then, but it wasn’t worth rushing him back. The decision to place Kim on the IL was made prior to the Padres' 7-5 victory over the Twins at Petco Park.

“Maybe the 10-day would be the better decision, considering the fact that we’re in the postseason and the Wild Card race, and we, as a team, have a goal of reaching the World Series,” Kim said, through interpreter David Lee. “So in order to come back to my fullest 100%, this 10-day IL makes sense to me.”

Tyler Wade has taken over at shortstop in Kim’s place since the injury, and he was in the starting lineup again on Tuesday, batting ninth. Wade has been a valuable bench piece for the Padres, capable of playing just about anywhere and pinch-running in key spots. But he came into Tuesday with just a .563 OPS this season and represents a notable drop-off from Kim, both offensively and defensively.

Which leaves the question of how the Padres might handle Kim’s absence, now that it’ll be prolonged for at least another nine games. Donovan Solano, hitting .307 with a .783 OPS, is currently on their bench -- and thriving in that role, it should be noted.

Batting for Wade in the eighth on Tuesday, Solano hit a leadoff single, which sparked the game’s decisive four-run rally. Then, another option to cover shortstop emerged in the top of the ninth, with Wade out of the game: Xander Bogaerts.

Bogaerts, of course, spent the first 11 seasons of his career almost exclusively at short. He moved to second base prior to the season, with the Padres looking to maximize Kim’s value as a defender.

But Bogaerts noted that moving back and forth between positions isn’t as easy as it looks. If the need arises, he can play short. But he’s finally feeling comfortable at second, and he said he’d prefer to continue getting most of his playing time there.

“I made a big choice in Spring Training, and I think everyone should respect that,” Bogaerts said. “I did it for the team. I moved. It’s a lot, playing back and forth. It’s tough.”

As such, it seems likeliest that the lefty-hitting Wade will be the Padres’ starting shortstop while Kim is on the IL. Against a left-hander, perhaps it’s Batten. Or maybe Shildt would consider giving Bogaerts a game or two there. Jake Cronenworth could slide to second, freeing either first base or DH for Solano.

Given the nature of the playoff picture, these decisions are important ones. The Padres trail the Dodgers by three games in the National League West race and hold a one-game edge over the Diamondbacks for the league’s top Wild Card spot.

Of course, the Padres’ ideal solution is getting Kim back as quickly as possible.

“I want my buddy back there -- my double-play guy,” Bogaerts said. “We know the defense that he brings. He’s recovering, hopefully back in 10 days.