Remains on bench Kim will sit Friday against the Diamondbacks, just as he did in Thursday's season opener. Impact The Padres gave Kim $28 million in December, suggesting that they saw him as capable of playing a fairly important role at the MLB level. So far, he's found himself on the bench both against lefty Madison Bumgarner and righty Merrill Kelly, a pitcher he squared off against for four seasons in Korea. Kim was expected to battle for at-bats as a utility man with Jake Cronenworth and Jurickson Profar this season, but the Padres will trot out Cronenworth at second base and Profar in left field in both of their first two games. Kim will surely find himself in the lineup eventually, but it doesn't look like he's in line for a significant role right out of the gate.
APRIL 2, 2021 • ROTOWIRE