“Ha Sung Kim is the best defensive second baseman in the majors.”

The San Diego Padres have struggled more than expected this season, but their defense is still strong. According to FanGraphs, the Padres are first in the National League with a team OAA of 21, second in the National League with a team DRS of 20, and third in the National League with a team UZR of 9.5.

It’s safe to say that the wall-to-wall infield has taken over. In addition to Kim Ha-Sung, the best defensive multi-fielder in the National League, Zander Bogaerts and Manny Machado are also good defenders. MLB.com wrote on April 16 that the upgrade of Bogaerts and the presence of Kim have made San Diego one of the best defensive units this season.먹튀검증

Of Kim, MLB.com wrote, “He’s still an elite second baseman. He’s the best defensive second baseman in the majors and is worth an OAA (Outside Runs Above Average) of 7 himself.” The addition of Ha-Sung Kim and Xander Bogaerts completes San Diego’s center field.

Signed to an 11-year, $280 million contract, Bogaerts is a defensive upgrade. According to MLB.com, “He ranks fourth among all shortstops in Outs Over Average by Statcast. He hasn’t committed an error since April and has looked strong. Shortstops generally don’t get better with age. Bogaerts is an exception.”

Manager Bob Melvin said, “The difference is he’s playing well and he has a different arm angle.” By modifying his arm angle when throwing, he improved his accuracy on defense. I changed my throwing motion two years ago when I was with the Boston Red Sox, and it’s really stuck since I’ve been in San Diego. He added that he also changed the rhythm of his movement when dashing to the ball.

“He started the 2021 season with a DRS of -13 and ended it at -5,” MLB.com reported. Even Bogaerts said, “I’m very excited to see if this is real or not.” The Padres eventually decided that Bogaerts’ defensive improvement was enough to keep him at shortstop, moving Ha-Sung Kim to second base to create an ironclad center field.

MLB.com wrote, “San Diego’s five outfielders lineup is thriving. Kim has been the best defensive second baseman and is worth 7 in OAA. Cronenwirth and Machado are the best corner defenders in the majors. Tatis has excelled in right field. San Diego has one of the best defensive lines this season. Bogart’s transformation was essential.”