$50 Million Padres Shortstop Predicted to Join Hated Rival Los Angeles Dodgers
The rivalry between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres is one of the fiercest in Major League Baseball. The two teams faced off in an intense 2024 postseason, where the Padres ultimately lost to the dominant Dodgers.
Now, the Padres could find themselves facing another setback to their division rivals—this time in free agency.
While the Dodgers have been linked to top-tier free agents like Juan Soto, Corbin Burnes, and Willy Adames, the Padres have been associated with more modest players such as Jurickson Profar. One player Los Angeles continues to be rumored to pursue is Ha-Seong Kim, the Padres’ free-agent shortstop.
According to Villano, the Dodgers’ ability to sign high-profile players like Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani comes from their smart roster decisions. He writes, “The Dodgers have a difficult choice at shortstop, but if they choose to downgrade the position while significantly saving on the contract, it could free up resources to invest in other areas.”
Kim, who underwent shoulder surgery at the end of the 2024 season, is expected to return sometime in 2025, though the exact timing remains uncertain.
The Dodgers may be willing to take a chance on an injured Kim, just as they did with Tommy Edman at the trade deadline. That move paid off well, and signing Kim from the Padres could make the victory even sweeter.