Infielder Ha-Seong Kim has officially entered the free agency (FA) market, deciding to leave the San Diego Padres behind. Despite Kim declining a mutual option to remain with the Padres, San Diego also opted not to extend a qualifying offer (QO) to retain him. MLB.com reported on November 5 (KST) that Kim's name was absent from the list of 13 players who did receive a QO, which included high-profile names like shortstop Willy Adames of the Atlanta Braves and slugger Pete Alonso of the New York Mets, two marquee free agents this offseason.

The QO system was introduced in 2012 as a way for teams to retain star players. Under this rule, a team can offer an outgoing FA a one-year contract at the average salary of the top 125 highest-paid MLB players. If accepted, the player stays with the team on a one-year deal and can re-enter free agency the following year. If rejected, the team receives a draft pick compensation when the player signs elsewhere. This offseason’s QO is set at $21.05 million, or approximately 28.8 billion won. Historically, only 13 out of 131 players offered the QO have accepted it, with notable cases like Ryu Hyun-jin, who accepted the QO after the 2018 season.

Kim is now poised to explore opportunities across the league. His original contract with the Padres, signed ahead of the 2021 season, was a four-year deal worth a guaranteed $28 million with an additional mutual option year, potentially bringing the total to $39 million. If Kim had exercised his 2025 option, he would have earned an additional $8 million to remain in San Diego. Instead, he chose to decline, opting for the open market with no restrictions—thanks to the lack of a QO, any team can sign him without owing draft pick compensation to the Padres.

The key question now is how much value he will command. Kim’s strong defensive skills drew significant attention early in the season, and he even earned a Gold Glove in the utility category last year. Recognizing his potential, MLB.com named him among the top FAs to watch this offseason, ranking him as the second-best shortstop in the FA market. However, concerns around his injury history could impact his market value. In August, Kim injured his right shoulder attempting a headfirst slide, suffering a torn labrum that required surgery. Some analysts speculate that this injury could lower his value slightly.

As he hits the open market, Kim is well-positioned to attract teams seeking a solid infielder with a defensive edge, free from any compensation strings, ready to showcase his skills in the 2024 season.