Kim 'in a really good spot' as rehab assignment, Rays debut nears

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TAMPA -- Over the last eight months, Ha-Seong Kim has gained a greater appreciation for what he had before.

Specifically, his health and his ability to play baseball at the highest level as often as possible.

“I’ve never rehabbed for this long because, thankfully, I haven’t gotten major injuries,” Kim said earlier this week through interpreter David Lee. “During this long rehab period, I really got to realize how thankful it is for a player to not be hurt and play healthy.”

Soon enough, Kim could put himself back in that camp.

The 29-year-old shortstop, the Rays’ biggest offseason addition, is set to face live pitching at the club’s Spring Training complex in Port Charlotte in the coming days before likely beginning a rehab assignment at some point next week with Triple-A Durham that will eventually deliver him back to Tampa Bay.

The Rays knew that Kim wouldn’t be immediately available when they signed him to a two-year, $29 million contract in February. They expected it would take until this month, at the earliest, for him to fully recover from last year’s season-ending surgery to repair the labrum in his right shoulder.

While the former Padre has done what he can to bond with his new teammates, he has mostly been on his own schedule while completing his rehabilitation process. That dynamic changed earlier this week, when he took part in pregame batting practice and infield drills at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

“The team and the training staff, they've taken great care of me, so I'm in a really good spot right now,” Kim said. “Because I'm feeling good, I'm confident that everything will go smoothly in terms of the rehab assignment.”

Kim has been hitting, running and fielding grounders for months. His throws were noticeably harder as he took ground balls at shortstop this week, with Kim noting he is “pretty satisfied” by his current arm strength. The most important part of his rehab assignment, Kim said, will be reacclimating to live pitching and game-speed defense.

“In terms of rehab and throwing program, there's not much to do left,” Kim said. “I think I'm just at a stage where I just need to go out in games and try to build up, to take another step forward. That's where we're at.”

The Rays won’t rush Kim back, considering how long he’s been sidelined. They could ease him in with a few days as a designated hitter and some work at second base (with less demanding throws) before working himself up to games at shortstop -- the position he was signed to play.

Rehab assignments for position players can last up to 20 days. In the meantime, they can keep leaning on Taylor Walls (MLB’s Defensive Runs Saved leader, with 12) and José Caballero (who has an .819 OPS against lefties and leads the team with 15 steals) at shortstop.

Manager Kevin Cash said the Rays haven’t yet set a timetable for Kim’s rehab stint, but want to get him to Triple-A so that he can face high-level pitching.

“He hasn't played baseball in a long time, so we’ve got to get plenty of live at-bats with him,” Cash said. “I can't put a number on it, but I think it'll be lengthier than shorter, just because of the amount of time missed.”

The Rays are excited to get Kim in the mix, though, believing he can raise the floor of their lineup without sacrificing any defensive upside. A Gold Glove Award winner in 2023, Kim posted 15.1 WAR while recording a .242/.326/.380 slash line with the Padres from 2021-24. Illustrating his point about durability, Kim played 150 games in 2022, 152 in ’23 and 121 before going down in the Padres’ 125th game last year.

Considering the frustration of his season-ending injury and the time he’s missed ever since, Kim is just as eager to remind everyone -- including his new team -- what he can do.

“I just want to show everything that I'm capable of as a player, all my strengths and my style of play,” Kim said. “I go out there and give it 100% every day, hustling every day. So hopefully if I show those type of moments, I can fit in with my teammates more easily.”