Padres still plan to pursue pair of FAs after not extending qualifying offers
The Padres hope to bring back Jurickson Profar and Ha-Seong Kim
The San Diego Padres did not extend qualifying offers to left fielder Jurickson Profar or shortstop Ha-Seong Kim on Monday with both players set to hit free agency.
That doesn’t mean they’ll both be playing elsewhere next season. AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports that San Diego has expressed interest in pursuing both this winter.
Profar and Kim were both important pieces to a team that reached the postseason and pushed the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers to the brink of elimination in the NLDS.
Profar, in his age 31 season, is coming off the best year of his career. An All-Star for the first time in 2024, he hit a career-high 24 home runs and slashed .280/.380/.459 — all career bests.
If his teammates’ comments are any indication, Profar is well-liked in the clubhouse, giving the Padres even more reason to secure his services.
“I don’t know if I could imagine any situation without Pro now,” rookie center fielder Jackson Merrill told The Athletic last month. “That dude is one of a kind, and I wish the best for him. I want him back.”
