San Diego Padres infielder is shaping up to be one of the more intriguing free agents this offseason. On one hand, he is an exceptional defender at shortstop and has a solid bat. On the other hand, he’s recovering from a significant shoulder injury, making his contract value hard to predict. He will likely sign for less than his true worth, possibly landing a deal for two or three years. Recently, Zachary Rymer of Bleacher Report speculated that the top star might sign a four-year, $60 million contract with the Detroit Tigers. In his article, Rymer compared Kim to San Francisco Giants infielder Willy Adames, noting that their WARs have been similar in recent seasons. “This comparison is, of course, meant to stir some discussion,” Rymer wrote. “At his peak, Adames is a 30-homer slugger with Gold Glove-level defense at shortstop. Kim, at his best, is capable of only the latter—assuming a successful recovery from his right shoulder surgery.”
“Good shortstop defense is nonetheless a valuable commodity, and it’s but one service that Kim provides in the field. He’s also a capable defender at third base and second base. Kim is also an elite bat-to-ball hitter who had a whiff rate in the 92nd percentile in 2024 and, unlike Adames, a consistently above-average baserunner.”
That’s a significant “if,” though. The Detroit Tigers have already had their share of struggles at shortstop with Javier Báez, so adding another high-priced infielder who might not deliver would be a risky move. Signing Kim comes with considerable uncertainty, and the Tigers would need to exercise extreme caution in this scenario. Personally, I think Kim will recover well from his injury. I’m sure the Tigers would conduct thorough due diligence to ensure he’s fully healthy before making any commitment. If he’s back to full strength, Kim would be a great fit in Detroit’s lineup.
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