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Rays' Kim Ha-seong misses 2nd straight game with calf cramp

Published: 07 Jul. 2025, 11:58

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Kim Ha-seong throws the ball to first base to get out Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton during the first inning at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota on July 4. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Kim Ha-seong has missed his second straight game with a right calf cramp, after playing just one game in his return from last fall's shoulder surgery.

Without their Korean player, the Rays beat the Minnesota Twins 7-5 at Target Field in Minneapolis on Sunday.

Before the game, Kim took batting practice, fielded grounders and sprinted in a straight line, according to MLB.com. Rays manager Kevin Cash was quoted as saying he was "very encouraged" with Kim's progress.

Kim, who signed a two-year deal with the Rays in February following four seasons with the San Diego Padres, made his season debut on Friday — some eight months after undergoing surgery to repair a labral tear in his right shoulder. He had suffered the injury in a dive back to first base on a pickoff attempt and the Rays knew Kim would need extensive rehab when they signed him in the offseason.

When Kim finally came back, he went 1-for-3 with a steal in the seventh inning. After swiping second base, Kim tried to steal third as well, but had to leave the game shortly after being tagged out there when he felt his right calf cramp up.

Kim said after the game he didn't think he'd suffered any serious injury.

The Rays will continue their 10-game road trip in Detroit against the Tigers on Monday.

Elsewhere in Major League Baseball on Sunday, Kim Hye-seong of the Los Angeles Dodgers batted 1-for-4 and made a couple of spectacular plays at second base in a 5-1 loss to the Houston Astros at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

With two outs and runners at first and second in the top first, Kim ranged to his right to field a grounder hit by Christian Walker and threw across his body to nab the Astros slugger at first — robbing Walker of an RBI hit.

Then in the second inning, Kim went even farther to his right on a ball hit by Yainer Diaz and then made a jump throw from the normal shortstop spot for the first out of the frame.

Kim, who batted sixth, had his lone hit, a single, in the bottom of the second inning against starter Ryan Gusto.

Kim went down swinging in the seventh and again in the ninth — only the third time the rookie has struck out more than once in a game.

Yonhap