Will Lee Jung-hoo (San Francisco Giants) and Kim Ha-sung (FA) reunite at the San Francisco Giants? Rumors of Kim Ha-sung's return to San Francisco, which had been quiet since San Francisco recruited Willy Adames, are rising again. 스포츠토토

The official Major League website MLB.com recommended San Francisco, where Lee Jung-hoo belongs, as his bird's nest, referring to Kim Ha-sung in an article titled "Prediction of Suitable Destinations of 10 Top FAs Still In The Market." 

MLB.com said, "San Francisco is still behind the National League's strong players despite the joining of Willy Adames and Justin Verlander," adding, "Kim Ha-sung, Lee Jung-hoo's former KBO League teammate who joined the Giants last season, will not be able to completely change the reality, but Kim Ha-sung can solve the weaknesses of San Francisco's second baseman position."

"If Kim Ha-sung becomes healthy enough to return from surgery on his right shoulder, he will be able to make San Francisco a threat to show his strength in the National League wild card competition," he said. 

San Francisco is thinking of Tyler Fitzgerald as the starting second baseman of the 2025 season. "We need to think realistically about what he's looking forward to," MLB.com said. "He appeared in 341 at-bats for the 2024 rookie season, with 15 homers and 132 wRC+, but he is skeptical about his progress. He was sluggish with just one homer and an OPS of .592 in the last 36 games of last season. Steamer, the most reliable forecasting system, also expected him to become a below-average hitter in 2025." 

Kim Ha-sung, who signed a four-plus-one-year contract with San Diego in 2021 for up to 39 million dollars (about 57.4 billion won), finally qualified as a FA in the stove league. There was an $8 million (about 11.7 billion won) mutual option in the 2025 season, but Kim Ha-sung refused to exercise the option and exercised his FA rights for $2 million (about 2.9 billion won).

In the early days of the market opening, Kim Ha-sung was frequently connected to San Francisco, which needed to reinforce shortstop. As multiple U.S. media outlets picked San Francisco as a strong destination for Kim Ha-sung, high expectations were raised for the reunion with Lee Jung-hoo, who was a teammate when he was a Heroes. 

However, San Francisco's choice was Willy Adames, the "biggest hit fish." After passing Kim Ha-sung, he signed a mega contract worth 182 million U.S. dollars for seven years with Adames on April 11. The record was the highest ever for a club, surpassing San Francisco's nine-year, 167 million dollars in 2013.

According to MLB Network John Morosi, Kim Ha-sung will not be able to return to the ground until the end of April at the earliest. "It is highly likely that Kim Ha-sung will not be able to prepare for the opening game. However, at some point in the first half of the year, he is expected to be ready for the game, so recruiting Kim Ha-sung will be suitable for teams that need infielders such as second baseman and shortstop." 

Will Kim Ha-sung be able to reunite with Lee Jung-hoo after being chosen by San Francisco, which embraces Adames? "It is true that the club asked me how (Kim) Ha-sung's body was," Lee Jung-hoo told reporters before his recent departure from the U.S. and said, "I hope Ha-sung will be treated well no matter which team he belongs to, and I hope he will do well in that team. I haven't heard about my brother's contract, but I think he will sign a good team and tell me good news soon," wishing Kim Ha-sung a great FA success.