The New York Yankees didn’t want to lose Juan Soto, but they’ve done almost everything they could have to make up for it in the short time since it happened.
Max Fried. Devin Williams. Cody Bellinger. Paul Goldschmidt. All have multiple All-Star selections under their belt, and all are putting on the pinstripes for the 2025 campaign. There’s just one main hole left to plug.
Second base in the Bronx was occupied by Gleyber Torres for most of the past decade, but the 27-year-old is now a free agent. Though Torres could hit, what the Yankees really need from the position moving forward is a solid glove to support the pitching staff.
Recently, content creator Steven Russell predicted in an Instagram video that the Yankees would sign Ha Seong Kim, the former San Diego Padres utility infielder and Gold Glove winner in 2023.
“Ha Seong Kim… perfect Yankees fit after Gleyber Torres,” Russell said. “Defense-first guy who is at least an average hitter. He’s also very versatile defensively. I think the team could use it.”
The beauty of signing Kim, from the Yankees’ perspective, is his ability to play any infield position. Sure, Anthony Volpe is probably the shortstop for 160-plus games, but Kim can slot in at either second or third base, and equally, so can Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Kim also holds his own at the plate, with a 99 career OPS+ and a solid .326 on-base percentage. If he can bat sixth or seventh in the lineup and play Gold Glove defense, he’ll be worth his weight in gold to this Yankees team.
Kim just finished up a four-year, $28 million deal with the Padres, and he might get a similar total on a two-year deal this time. If he recovers from shoulder surgery quickly, he might be ready to go by Opening Day, making that short-term deal a massive steal.
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