Kim hoping to avoid IL after Rays debut is cut short by cramp

MINNEAPOLIS – Ha-Seong Kim, the Rays’ big offseason free agency acquisition, made his debut on Friday after recovering from offseason surgery on his right shoulder.

Now the team is hoping he’ll avoid a quick return to the injured list.

Kim played shortstop and batted seventh in the Rays’ 4-3 walk-off loss to the Twins on Friday. He came to the plate three times, grounding out twice before lining a sharp single to center in the seventh inning.

But Kim had to leave the game shortly thereafter as he felt his right calf cramp up while he was trying to steal third base.

After the game, Kim and manager Kevin Cash seemed cautiously optimistic that Kim had avoided a major injury.

“I hope so,” Cash said. “We'll just see. It's kind of day to day – check on him through the night and then tomorrow.”

Kim said he didn’t feel any discomfort in the calf until he broke for third base in the seventh inning.

“I think we'll need to reevaluate tomorrow, but I don't think it should be a big problem,” Kim said via interpreter David Lee after the game. But when asked if he was concerned he might land back on the IL, Kim replied, “Let's just see tomorrow.”

It took Kim nearly 11 months to recover from surgery to his right shoulder, which ended his 2024 season prematurely. After completing his rehab – which the Rays were fully aware he’d need when they signed him to a two-year, $29 million deal in February – Kim was excited to begin to play with his new teammates and show Tampa Bay’s front office it had made a good investment.

Kim also wanted to be sure he didn’t bring too much change to the team, which remained tied with the Yankees for second place in the AL East behind the surging Blue Jays.

“I just want to follow what the team is doing. The team is doing really well,” Kim said. “I’m pretty confident, obviously – that’s why I’m here – but I just want to make sure the team is in a good spot. I don’t want to be in the way.”

A problem integrating Kim into the lineup was the last thing on Cash’s mind. He was more intrigued about the positive impacts Kim can have on the field.

“He’s really talented on both sides of the ball. He’s not going to screw up anything. We’re excited to have him back,” Cash said. “To have him now joining us while we’re playing good baseball is only going to make us better.”

In 21 games over separate rehab stints at Triple-A Durham, Kim slashed .208/.352/.250 with three doubles, six RBIs, six stolen bases, 15 walks and 10 strikeouts. He also split his time between second base and shortstop, displaying the versatility that helped make him a target of the Rays during free agency.

Kim’s new teammates are equally excited to see him add his unique mix of skills to the lineup.

“You think about his time in San Diego, I felt like the crowd loved him. He was always giving it his all on the field,” right fielder Josh Lowe said. “He’s someone that plays hard and energizes the lineup. He’s just a pretty dynamic player. He can hit the ball out of the yard, he controls the zone, he’s a good runner, he can steal bags and he plays elite defense.”

Taj Bradley – who will start on the mound against the Twins on Saturday – was equally effusive when praising Kim.

“I’m excited, man. I could only see him on TV with the Padres. Now I get to watch him live and backing me up on defense,” Bradley said. “He went through a lot to get to where he is right now, and I know he’s excited. I talked to him a few times in the dugout when he was rehabbing, and just the baseball knowledge he has and the IQ he has related to the game is good to see.”

Now it’s just a matter of the 29-year-old Kim getting all the way back to being the player he was with the Padres, who signed him in 2021 out of South Korea’s KBO League.

“We have a really good team and a really special group of talented players,” he said. “I’m just honored to play alongside these guys.”