Ha-seong Kim of the San Diego Padres is unrivaled in the defensive index.
Kim Ha-seong started as a third baseman at number 6 in an away game against the New York Yankees held at Yankee Stadium on the 29th (hereinafter Korean time) and scored 3 runs with 1 hit and 2 walks in 2 at-bats. The team lost 7-10, but Kim Ha-seong raised his stock price to the fullest.
He first increased his season batting average to .242 (38-for-157), with 17 RBI, 18 runs scored, 7 stolen bases, and an OPS of .712.스포츠토토
There is a division where Kim Ha-seong ranks first in the entire major league. That’s defensive WAR. Based on the baseball reference, the defensive WAR is 1.4, which is unrivaled. He is 0.2 ahead of Rays shortstop Wander Franco (1.2) in Tampa Bay, which is second. Ha-seong Kim is the only infielder with one error among the top 20 defensive WAR players in both leagues. Franco is recording 3 errors.
The reason Kim Ha-seong’s defense is recognized is that he is solid not only as a one-position shortstop, but also as a second baseman who moved this year and a third baseman who is temporarily in charge due to Manny Machado’s injury.
The combined WAR of defense, hitting, and running is 2.1, which is ninth in the National League (NL). This is the highest ranking this season.
The NL leader in this category is Atlanta Braves Ronald Acuna Jr., who is averaging 3.1. Los Angeles Dodgers Freddy Freeman is second with 2.5, followed by Atlanta starting pitcher Bryce Elder (2.3), Colorado Rockies catcher Elias Diaz (2.3) and Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson (2.3).
Within the team, Kim Ha-seong is the highest. San Diego is full of star players. High-paid players such as Manny Machado, Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Xander Bogatz form the mainstream. However, WAR is not up to Ha-seong Kim. Second place Soto is only 2.0.
Zander Bogatz (right) and Juan Soto are striking in contrast in May. AP Yonhap News
Paradoxically, Ha-sung Kim’s WAR ranking shows the sad reality of San Diego. Others are Bogarts 1.6, Tatis Jr. 1.5, Jake Cronenworth 0.8, Trent Grisham 0.3, Machado 0.2, Lugnedo Odor 0.2, and catchers Austin Nola and Brett Sullivan are each -0.1, not even close to zero.
Bogarts, who came in last winter after signing a free agent contract for 280 million dollars in 2011, is in a sudden drop-off mode after May, unlike April. On this day, against the Yankees, he went 4 at-bats with no hits and 2 strikeouts. His batting average was 0.308 in April and 0.184 in May. In terms of batting average in May alone, Bogatz is the lowest on the team. As for the batting average in May, Soto is first with 0.333, and Kim Ha-seong is second with 0.282.
Soto and Kim Ha-seong are leading the batting line. Bogatsu and Machado are sluggish, so the attack flow is not gaining momentum. San Diego’s team batting average in May was 0.213, the lowest in the NL. The batting average in scoring position for the season is 0.185, which is the lowest in both leagues.
On this day, Kim Ha-seong played a three-point game for the third time after advancing to the major leagues. Ha-seong Kim was at the center of the chase in the second half of the game. San Diego chased by 2 points, adding 3 points in the top of the 7th inning, trailing 3-8. Following Odore’s two-run home run, Kim Ha-seong hit Cole’s curveball, went out with a left-center hit, advanced to third base with Grisham’s double, and stepped on the home run when Jose Ajoca’s second baseman grounded to pursue 6-8.
In the ninth inning, Kim Ha-seong also went out as the lead batter and got a walk, stepping on second and third bases in turn on the follow-up hit, then hitting home with Sullivan’s sacrifice fly, marking the team’s 7th run. That was the last time San Diego scored.
San Diego marked 24-29 with a loss on the day. 5 wins is not enough in the 50% win rate. They are fourth in the NL West, 7.5 games behind the leading Los Angeles Dodgers, and three games behind the wild card cutoff. Ha-seong Kim cannot lead alone.