The comeback schedule is suspended for now? 3 Triple-A games, 2 hits in 10 at-bats, Kim Ha-sung is shocked to be excluded from the game
May 31, 2025
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Kim Ha-sung (30, Tampa Bay Rays), who was playing in a rehabilitation game to restore his sense of play in the minor league Triple-A, was excluded from the starting list in three games. It may not be a simple game exclusion, but a measure that affects the Major League's comeback schedule.
This is because Kim Ha-sung showed so bad performance in the Triple-A rehabilitation game he played earlier. As a result, the Tampa Bay coaching staff may have decided that Kim Ha-sung is not in a state enough to play in the Major League.
Kim Ha-sung became a member of the Triple-A Durham Bulls of the minor league under Tampa Bay from the 27th (Korea time) and was put into Triple-A practice. The move is aimed at checking whether Kim Ha-sung, who has been rehabilitating for about seven months since undergoing shoulder surgery in October last year, is ready to play in the Major League again.
Therefore, the official MLB website officially announced that Tampa Bay sent shortstop Kim Ha-sung to the Durham Bulls for his rehabilitation game. It is a measure to check the outcome of rehabilitation and revive the sense of practice. Usually, they spend about one to two weeks in the game to closely check the player's condition and then move to the Major League.
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However, he was very sluggish in the next two games. In the game against Memphis on the 29th, he started as the second designated hitter and had no hits in four times at bat. In the match against Memphis on the 30th, he also started as the second designated hitter and remained silent with no hits in four times at bat. In the end, his batting average in three Triple-A rehabilitation games was only 0.200 (2 hits in 10 at-bats).
This trend continued, and eventually, Kim Ha-sung was excluded from the starting list at the match against Memphis on the 31st. It can be said that he was excluded from the selection simply as a rest. However, looking at the situation, it may be judged as a measure to review the return plan due to Kim Ha-sung's continued poor batting performance.
Kim Ha-sung is a star player who has a considerable weight in Tampa Bay in the small market. After the end of the 2024 season, he became a free agent with the San Diego Padres. Originally, he was a large infielder who could sign a contract worth more than $100 million if he became an FA. However, he injured his shoulder against the Colorado Rockies on Aug. 19 and even underwent surgery in October.
This resulted in a sharp drop in FA value. There were many opinions that recommended staying in San Diego, but Kim Ha-sung came to the market. After many twists and turns, he signed a two-year contract with Tampa Bay for up to $31 million. This season's annual salary is $13 million (about 18 billion won), the highest in the Tampa Bay team. Tampa Bay's club has no choice but to pay close attention to Kim Ha-sung's rehabilitation and return.
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Usually, in this process, the team checks the hitting sense at the beginning of the rehabilitation game and then responds to the defensive position after three to four games to prepare for the real game in earnest. However, Kim Ha-sung first stopped during the hitting process. After the first game, he had no hits in eight consecutive at-bats. It seems that the feeling of hitting is rarely revived. Kim Ha-sung's big leak comeback is expected to take some time.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
