Padres blog offers Blue Jays trade package for Ha-Seong Kim. Would it work?

In a recent post from FanSided's San Diego Padres blog, it was suggested that the Toronto Blue Jays could offer up a competitive trade package for utility infielder Ha-Seong Kim. The deal would go as follows:

Would such a trade work for the Jays? After all, they have lost star third baseman Matt Chapman to free agency this offseason, leaving a huge gaping hole in their infield to fill. More worrisome was the fact that GM Ross Atkins recently indicated that they are comfortable in going ahead with a committee approach with Cavan Biggio, Santiago Espinal and Isiah Kiner-Falefa all sharing the duties at the hot corner. Just on paper, that appears to be a huge downgrade from what Chapman provided to the team the past two seasons. On top of that, whoever doesn’t end up starting at third will likely get their fair share of starts at second base, where Schneider may also be added to the rotation.

Which brings us back to the proposed trade for Kim. So in comparison, will he be that much better than the committee mentioned above? 

Looking at what Kim can provide the Jays

Ever since joining the Padres three years ago, Kim has progressively gotten better statistically with each season. In 2023, he put together his best season yet by hitting a solid .260 and .351 OBP, with 84 runs scored, 17 home runs, 60 RBI and a whopping 38 stolen bases. Moreover, he has the knack of being able to get on base frequently and make things happen, ultimately mesmerizing the opposition with both his bat and speed. In addition, Kim isn’t too shabby from the defensive side of things as with his lightning glove, he registered 16 DRS along with a .988 fielding percentage en route to his first ever Gold Glove last year. So in a way, the Jays would be getting a Chapman-lite, with a better batting average and plus speed.

More importantly, Kim can also give the Jays flexibility as he is capable of playing multiple infield positions, which includes shortstop, second base, and third base. In particular, he is strongest statistically as a second baseman and third baseman, which are the two positions that are currently still in flux for the Jays heading into the 2024 season. To top it off, Kim’s strong 2023 season was better than any of Biggio’s, Espinal’s and Kiner-Falefa’s best seasons to date. As a result, Kim appears to be an ideal fit for the ballclub, if the price is right.