This summer, the Boston Red Sox have primarily been associated with starting pitchers; nonetheless, the team still has other tasks to accomplish.
The rotation and second base are where Boston has the most deficiencies on their roster. In the upcoming days or weeks, the Red Sox will probably address the rotation in an attempt to sign one of the best starting pitchers available as a free agent. Boston will then need to upgrade at second base.
The three-time All-Star Whit Merrifield is probably the option that the Red Sox will select among the several free agent choices that have previously been connected to them. But there’s a chance the team chooses to trade, and infielder Ha-Seong Kim of the San Diego Padres is one player who might be available, according to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic.
“Kim, meanwhile, is also a right-handed hitter and is in the final year of a four-year, $28 million deal with a mutual option for 2025,” McCaffrey stated. “He might be another trade option for the Red Sox, opening the door for Nick Yorke and Marcelo Mayer, coming off a season in which he had a.749 OPS and 110 OPS+.
“There is a lot of change going on with the San Diego Padres. They probably need outfield assistance after dealing Trent Grisham and Juan Soto, and they’re also looking for bullpen arms, especially set-up guys. It appears that the Red Sox could make Kim come to Boston.”
For the Padres in 2023, Kim had perhaps the best season of his early career and won his first Gold Glove. Finishing the season with 17 home runs, 60 RBIs, 38 stolen bases, and a slash line of.260/.351/.398; the 28-year-old was also fairly consistent offensively.
Despite having already traded Alex Verdugo, the Red Sox still have an abundance of outfield players and one of the strongest farm systems in baseball. If Boston wanted to, it could make a deal.
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