Ha-Seong Kim draped his left arm around Jurickson Profar as the two walked out to center field Tuesday afternoon to pose for the Padres’ 2024 team photo. Kim’s jammed right shoulder, on the other hand, continues to improve, but the 28-year-old shortstop sees the wisdom in the team’s decision to move him to the 10-day injured list over waiting three to six days to see how it responds.
“To be honest, initially I thought that I would be able to come back within five days,” Kim said through interpreter David Lee. “But after talking with the training staff, the manager and the front office, I was told that maybe the 10-day (IL) would be the better decision, considering the fact that we’re in the postseason with the wild-card race and we as a team have a goal of reaching the World Series.
“So in order to come back to my fullest 100 percent I think this 10-day IL makes sense.”
That’s not to say there wasn’t some reluctance on Kim’s part after noting his shoulder’s improvement since jamming the shoulder on Sunday at Coors Field.
Kim, after all, was hitting .367/.441/.533 over his previous 10 games. The MRI taken in San Diego showed only inflammation, Padres manager Mike Shildt said, and Kim continues to feel discomfort in certain movements, although nothing like what he felt when he left the field immediately after sustaining the injury on Sunday.
“Everything happened so quick,” Kim said. “I did feel it sliding back to first base, my shoulder being jammed. It’s just disappointing, considering the fact that my hitting was starting to heat up.”
Kim added: “It’s much better than how it was on the first day, and just taking my time to recover right now.”
To fill Kim’s roster spot, Matthew Batten was called up from Triple-A El Paso.
In Kim’s place, Tyler Wade is starting a second straight game at shortstop on Tuesday. Both Xander Bogaerts — who moved from shortstop to second base in spring training — and Jake Cronenworth are also options to play shortstop while Kim is out, as is Batten, but Shildt declined to discuss plans behind Wade starting Tuesday’s game.
Wade was the only position player to field grounders at shortstop during batting practice.
Wade hit ninth on Tuesday in the exact same lineup as Monday, save for Luis Campusano at catcher and in the eight-hole over Kyle Higashioka.
Tuesday against the Twins. pic.twitter.com/CfEQExhS9n
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 20, 2024
Batten was hitting .247/.325/.438 with four homers in 99 games in El Paso. He has starts this year at third base (33), second base (28), shortstop (12), first base (12) and left field (2).
Before batting practice, left-hander Wandy Peralta (groin) faced live hitters and participated in pitchers’ fielding practice. The next step, dependent on how he comes out of Tuesday’s work, is game action, likely in the form of a minor league rehab assignment.
Here is how the Twins will line up Tuesday:
Lined up for game 2 in San Diego pic.twitter.com/M0Ecimxues
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) August 20, 2024
Tuesday’s pitching matchup
Twins RHP Bailey Ober (12-5, 3.49 ERA)
The fourth-year starter is sitting on a career-high in wins and his 134 innings this year are 10⅓ away from matching a career high. Ober has allowed two runs or less in his of his last five starts (1.59 ERA). His only appearance against the Padres was last year, when he allowed three runs in six innings in a no-decision.
Here is how Ober has fared against current Padres:
Padres LHP Martín Pérez (3-5, 4.62 ERA)
While he has only one decision, the Padres have won all three of his starts (1.96 ERA) since arriving at the trade deadline. The 33-year-old won 10 games for the Twins in 2019 (5.12 ERA). Pérez has a 5.40 ERA in 48⅓ innings against the Twins. He last faced them last year with the Rangers, allowing three runs in 3⅓ innings.
Here is how Perez has fared against current Twins:
