Red Sox Could Target $49 Million Gold Glover As Trevor Story Insurance

The Boston Red Sox certainly hope this is the year Trevor Story can stay healthy. However, it may not be wise to count on that.

Aug 4, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres shortstop Ha-Seong Kim (7) hits a sacrifice bunt during the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images David Frerker-Imagn Images

Through his first three years in Boston, Story has played 163 games--virtually the equivalent of one full season's worth of games. During that time, he's suffered injuries to his shoulder, elbow, heel, and hand that have all cost him time on the injured list.

Maybe all this worrying is for naught and Story has been on the wrong end of bad luck that is due to stop. But if Boston has no shortstop backup plan and Story misses the vast majority of the year for the third season in a row, they'll have no one to blame but themselves.

There may, however, be a perfect player the Red Sox can acquire in free agency who can provide insurance for Story, but doesn't need to play shortstop otherwise.

Ha Seong Kim, the former Gold Glove utility infielder for the San Diego Padres, is targeting an April return while recovering from shoulder surgery. Recently, Justin Leger of NBC Sports Boston discussed Kim's potential fit with the Red Sox:

"Kim doesn't offer a ton of upside offensively, but he's a stud defensive infielder who could start at second base if Kristian Campbell and Vaughn Grissom aren't ready," Leger wrote. "He'd also be the perfect shortstop replacement if Story goes down with yet another injury."

Kim, 29, is a tremendous defender at third base, second base, and shortstop. He's also got a career 99 OPS+ as a right-handed batter, so even if he wouldn't be the spark plug the Red Sox need in their lineup, he wouldn't hurt them on offense at all, either.

Kim is projected for a four-year, $49 million contract by Spotrac, but there's a solid chance at this point that he could accept a shorter deal with a higher average annual value and a player option in case he wants to test the market again next season.

Would a two-year, $30 million deal ($17 million player option for 2026) work for the Red Sox? If so, Kim might be the perfect player to have on the roster whichever way Story's injury luck carries them.