Even Machado was injured When he tried to hit as hard as Kim Ha-sung’s defense
San Diego Padres’ infield has been injured constantly. While leading shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. was out of power due to a wrist injury, third baseman Manny Machado was also injured.
Manny Machado suffered an ankle injury while stepping on first base after hitting a ground ball in front of the pitcher in the top of the first inning of an away game against the Colorado Rockies in Denver, Colorado, on the 20th (Korea Standard Time).
The moment I stepped on the base, my foot slipped. Because of this, he injured his left ankle and was replaced immediately.
The San Diego club said Machado’s injury was not serious. X-ray imaging showed that it was not a fracture. However, it is unlikely that he will be able to participate for the time being.
San Diego announced that it will call up promising C.J. Abrams, who went down to Triple-A in the minor leagues.
Left-handed hitter Abrams was used by right-handed hitter Kim Ha-sung under the platoon system in the early 2022 season. He made his big league debut this year with high expectations, but he batted only 0.182 in 20 games and went down to the minor leagues in early May.
Abrams increased his batting sense by batting .314 and OPS 0.871 in Triple-A. He hit seven home runs and 10 stolen bases in 140 at-bats.
With Abrams calling up, more games are expected for Kim Ha-sung to play as a third baseman until Machado returns 안전공원
Abrams played mostly shortstop in Triple-A and occasionally held second base positions. Since 2019, when he made his minor league debut, he has never played third base.
Kim Ha-sung, who started as shortstop for the ninth batter and recorded one hit in four at-bats, moved to third base at the end of the game and finished the game. He boasted stable defense not only in shortstop but also in third base.
Kim Ha-sung is known as a utility resource in San Diego. The batting index is not excellent, but it is worth using as it can play both shortstop and third baseman.
I wonder if putting down the shortstop position, which is relatively burdensome for defense, will have an upward effect on hitting.
Although there are not many samples, Kim Ha-sung’s batting performance was better when he played as a third baseman than when he played as a shortstop this year.
Kim Ha-sung had a batting average of 0.310 (9 hits in 29 at-bats) in eight games he played as a third baseman before the match. Out of nine hits, there were six long hits (one home run and five doubles). OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) was high at 0.897.
On the other hand, when he played shortstop, his batting average remained in the early 20s. Kim Ha-sung’s role has also become more important at a time when two batters with the best batting skills in the team, following Tatis Jr., are out of the lineup.
San Diego lost to Colorado 3-8 on the same day, losing three straight games in a row over the weekend.