Kim Ha-sung returns in July → TB will become stronger by supplementing its weaknesses. Media outlook shows that he has no hits in 4 at-bats against Memphis, 0.211
Jun 26, 2025
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Kim Ha-sung, who had shoulder surgery last fall and committed to rehabilitation in the offseason and signed a two-year, $29 million FA contract with Tampa Bay, is currently playing in a minor league game with Triple-A Durham Bulls to boost his condition.
Local media The Athletic reported on the 26th (Korea time) that the Tampa Bay Rays and MLB began discussing the venue of the home game if Tampa Bay advanced to the playoffs. In an article titled 'AL Wild Card No. 1, the Rays recorded 28 wins and 14 losses, the highest overall performance since the 9th of last month. The shortstop, who is pointed out as the weakest position, predicted that Kim Ha-sung, who is rehabilitating from shoulder surgery, will be much stronger when he returns in July.
Tampa Bay is unable to use Tropicana Field, its home stadium in St. Petersburg, because its roof was damaged in a hurricane attack last fall, making it under repair this year. If Tampa Bay advances to the playoffs, the question is whether it should continue to use Steinbrenner Field, which has a capacity of only 10,000 spectators, as its home stadium. He said he started negotiations with MLB on this.
With The Athletic's observation deck, Kim Ha-sung is considered to be capable of covering all Tampa Bay's weaknesses in offense and defense if he returns at the end of the first half.
However, Kim Ha-sung started as the second shortstop in the game against the Memphis Redbirds (under the St. Louis Cardinals) at Durham Bulls Athletic Park on the day, and remained silent with no hits and one strikeout in four times at bat. He failed to continue his three-for-four performance the previous day.
Kim Ha-sung, who stepped down with a ground ball to the third base with no outs in the bottom of the first inning, went out as the leadoff hitter in the fourth inning and hit a curve ball in the middle of left-hander Alex Cornwell's 77.7 miles, but hit another ground ball to the third base.
In the sixth inning, he struck out right-hander Andre Granillo's slider with a ball count of 1B2S. He was then grounded out to shortstop in the last at-bat of the ninth inning. Durham lost two to three.
As a result, Kim Ha-sung recorded a batting average of 0.211 (12 hits in 57 at-bats), five RBIs, 11 runs, 13 walks, seven strikeouts, five steals, and an OPS of 0.611 in 17 Triple-A games.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
