Subscribe
Follow Us
The Tampa Bay Rays' shortstop Ha-Seong Kim’s much-anticipated debut on Friday against the Minnesota Twins was cut short by a right calf injury, raising concerns about another potential setback for the team’s high-profile offseason acquisition. The Rays ultimately fell 4-3 in walk-off fashion, but all eyes postgame were on Kim’s status.
After the game, Rays manager Kevin Cash and the team’s athletic trainer examined Kim, who ultimately exited the game. Taylor Walls replaced him defensively in the bottom half of the inning.
Postgame, both Kim and Cash downplayed the severity of the injury, via Pat Donnelly of MLB.com.
“I think we'll need to reevaluate tomorrow, but I don't think it should be a big problem,” Kim said through interpreter David Lee. “I didn’t feel anything in my calf until I started running to third base. Let's just see tomorrow.”
Cash was on the same page as Kim:
“I hope so. We'll just see. It's kind of day to day – check on him through the night and then tomorrow.”
Importantly, Cash confirmed that the injury was unrelated to Kim’s surgically repaired shoulder, which had sidelined the 29-year-old infielder for over ten months.
Ha-Seong Kim, who signed a two-year, $29 million deal with the Rays in February 2025, was playing his first Major League game since undergoing right shoulder surgery that prematurely ended his 2024 season.
The team had anticipated a delayed debut and assigned him to Triple-A Durham for a lengthy rehab assignment, during which Kim slashed .208/.352/.250 across 21 games. He collected three doubles, six RBIs, 15 walks, and six stolen bases.
On Friday, Kim batted seventh and played shortstop. After grounding out in his first two at-bats, he led off the seventh inning with a sharp single off a 96 mph fastball to left field, his first hit since August 18, 2024. Kim then successfully stole second base. However, on an aggressive attempt to swipe third, he was thrown out by Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers and immediately showed signs of discomfort.
Prior to joining the Rays, Kim had a stellar 2023 campaign with the San Diego Padres, posting a .260/.351/.398 line with 17 home runs, 60 RBIs, 84 runs scored, and 38 stolen bases in 152 games. His all-around excellence was recognized with a Gold Glove award and a 5.4 bWAR season, finishing 14th in National League MVP voting.
As of now, Kim is considered day-to-day. The team will monitor him overnight and re-evaluate ahead of Saturday’s 2:10 p.m. ET matchup against the Twins. If Kim is unable to play, Taylor Walls is expected to fill in at shortstop.
