Phillies Interested In Ha-Seong Kim

The Phillies have some work to do with their infield and are interested in free agent Ha-Seong Kim, reports Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia. Salisbury mentions Mauricio Dubón as another free agent who would fit into Philadelphia’s plans but says Dubón is looking for a multi-year deal. The Phils are targeting a one-year bounceback candidate, making Kim a more likely fit. There are many moving pieces on the dirt in Philly. In the first months of 2026, the club mostly had Alec Bohm at third base, Trea Turner at shortstop, Bryson Stott at second and Bryce Harper at first. They acquired Luis Arraez at the deadline and shuffled things around because Arraez wanted to stay at the keystone. Stott moved to third, Bohm to first and Harper to right field. But at the end of the season, Arraez, Bohm and utility player Edmundo Sosa all became free agents. On top of that, Turner’s future is up in the air. He is still under contract but president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has said that Turner needs to improve defensively in order to stay at that position. Advanced defensive metrics were not kind to him in 2026. Outs Above Average had him eight below par, Fielding Run Value nine below and Defensive Runs Saved 17 under. The latter number was the worst in the majors for the position. Turner is now 33 years old and will turn 34 in June, so it will be a challenge for him to reverse course with those numbers. Ideally, prospect Aidan Miller would be pushing Turner off the position by now, but that’s not the case. Back problems almost entirely wiped out Miller’s 2026. He did get into four games in September and he has added 15 more contests in the Arizona Fall League so far. After a mostly lost season, the Phillies will probably want to send him to Triple-A for more reps in 2027. At this point, his track record at the top minor league level consists of just eight games in 2025. The Phillies don’t yet know if Miller is the long-term answer. They also have short-term questions with Turner’s struggles and Sosa’s departure. That’s where Kim could fit in. Kim has lots of shortstop experience and has generally been graded well there. He also has extensive experience at second or third base, meaning he could move around, if necessary. The issue with Kim is that he is a few years removed from his best form. From 2022 to 2024, he got into 423 games for the Padres, hitting 39 home runs and stealing 72 bases. He slashed .250/.336/.385 for a 106 wRC+. FanGraphs credited him with 10.5 wins above replacement for that stretch, an average of more than three per year. But that 2024 season was cut short when Kim tore the labrum in his right shoulder and required surgery. He hasn’t been able to bounce back in subsequent campaigns. In addition to his surgery rehab, he also missed time in 2025 due to calf and back problems. He only got into 48 games, split between Tampa and Atlanta, and hit .234/.304/.345 for and 83 wRC+. Atlanta re-signed him for 2026, hoping that Kim could produce better results as he moved further away from his surgery. But even before the 2026 campaign began, Kim slipped on some ice in his native South Korea and tore a tendon in his right middle finger. That injury limited him to 51 games and an awful .116/.219/.140 line when he was able to take the field. In theory, a healthy Kim could return to his 2022 to 2024 form but it’s a risk after two challenging years. He should be affordable. Last winter, he was able to get a one-year, $20MM contract. Now that he’s 31 years old and coming off a brutal 2026 season, he won’t get anywhere near that. For Dubón, it makes sense that he would be looking to cash in by targeting a multi-year deal. He is now 32 years old and coming off a good season, so this is almost certainly his best chance to get the bag. MLBTR predicted he could secure a two-year pact worth $18MM this winter while noting that a three-year deal is also a possibility. For the Phillies, it seems they would prefer to make a shorter commitment. Signing Kim would allow them to have a backup for shortstop, giving them some protection for continued struggles from Turner and/or Miller not stepping up to take the job. In theory, if all three of those players are going well, things could be moved around to make it work. Stott could play either second or third, depending on how the offseason goes for the Phils. Turner, Miller or Kim could cover shortstop or move to second or third, if needed. It’s also possible Turner ends up getting some outfield work. The club could then reassess their options going into 2028. By then, Miller’s long-term status might have more clarity, while prospects such as Bryan Rincon or Aroon Escobar might have debuted. Stott will be heading into free agency after 2027. If Kim or someone else were signed to a one-year deal, that would be another departure. Turner is signed through 2033 but it’s unclear where his long-term defensive home is. If it’s not Kim, re-signing Sosa or someone like Isiah Kiner-Falefa could fill a similar role. A bolder shortstop move doesn’t really exist in free agency if the Phils don’t want to commit to Dubón. The trade market could feature Jeremy Peña or Zach Neto but it’s unclear if those players are even available and the Phillies might not want to commit huge resources to the position when they already have Turner signed and Miller waiting in the wings. Going for a budget option here could leave them more powder dry to address the outfield and bullpen. Photo courtesy of Brett Davis, Imagn Images