San Diego manager Mike Shildt said in a briefing ahead of the game on Wednesday (Korea time) that Kim Ha-sung will move to St. Louis on Friday and start accompanying the team. San Diego will play four consecutive away games from St. Louis starting on Sunday. Inviting injured players during the away series can be seen as an imminent return.

"Kim Ha-sung was injured while diving (headfirst sliding) to the first base at an away game held in Colorado on Saturday," MLB.com reported. An MRI scan revealed shoulder inflammation and put him on the injured list two days later. The club is optimistic that his absence will not last more than 10 days. The team has started defensive training, but failed to resume throwing and hitting. This is where he took a step forward.

After playing four consecutive away games in St. Louis through Saturday, San Diego will move to Miami to play three consecutive away games against the Tampa Bay Rays. He will return to San Diego from Sunday to face the Detroit Tigers. If Kim continues to undergo rehabilitation, he will be less likely to have him accompany the team during the away game. It should be considered that Kim Ha-sung's return to the Major League is imminent.

The San Diego Padres registered Kim Ha-sung on the 10-day injured list on Monday. The reason for this is right shoulder inflammation. The registration was retroactive as of Tuesday. Kim Ha-sung can return from Thursday when the last game of the four consecutive games between the San Diego Padres and the St. Louis Cardinals will be held.

After hitting a left-handed hit in the third inning against Colorado on Wednesday, Kim complained of shoulder pain in the process of returning to the first base after being checked. As if he sensed the injury, he lay down on his stomach and held his right shoulder. During the replacement process, he threw his helmet and burst into anger.

However, it turned out that the injury was not as serious as expected. It could be a golden opportunity for Kim Ha-sung, who has been running tirelessly as a full-time shortstop.

The move marks the first time that Kim Ha-sung has registered an injured list in his four-year career in the Major League. Still, it did not lead to structural problems such as dislocation or ligament damage. If he had to undergo surgery, it could have been a fatal blow.

Kim Ha-sung also accepted the club's decision. "Given that our team has a goal of advancing to the postseason, wild card race, and even the World Series, it would probably be a better decision to go on the 10-day injured list. If I want to return to my fully charged physical condition, I would prefer to go on the injured list," he said.

While Kim Ha-sung is out, San Diego has five wins and three losses. It won 7-4 against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. Randy Vazquez, who was called up ahead of his start, became the winning pitcher by allowing two runs in six innings. Manny Machado had two hits and three RBIs, including a two-run homer, and Jackson Merrill had two hits and three RBIs with two timely hits.

San Diego is still stable in the postseason. With 75 wins and 58 losses and 0.564 wins, the team ranks third in the National League West behind the Los Angeles Dodgers (78 wins and 53 losses and 0.573) and the Arizona Diamondbacks (75 wins and 56 losses and 0.573) but ranks second in the wild card race. It is far ahead of the Atlanta Braves (71-60-0.542), who are seeking the last ticket, with 3.0 games, and the New York Mets (68-63 wins and 0.519), who are ranking fourth in the wild card, with 6.0 games.

If San Diego advances to the postseason while keeping its current pace, Kim Ha-sung will have his second fall baseball since his Major League debut. Kim Ha-sung experienced his first postseason in the major leagues in 2022. San Diego, which broke through the Mets and wild card series and the Dodgers and division series one after another, failed to become the National League champion due to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Kim Ha-sung had a poor performance with a batting average of 0.186 and an OPS of 0.542 in 12 postseason games in 2022, but he led San Diego's turnaround by scoring a decisive timely double in Game 4 of the Division Series against the Dodgers.

BY: 안전놀이터