When the San Diego Padres inked Korean infielder Sung-Mun Song to a four-year deal, the question was where he would play. The Padres already have a stocked up infield between Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts, and Jake Cronenworth. That doesn’t leave a lot of room for Song to play on the infield.
There is an opening at first base, with three-time batting champion Luis Arráez a free agent. One option would be to slide Cronenworth down to first, a position he held in 2023-24. However, with a career 107 OPS+ and 17 home runs per 162 games might not profile well.
The other option is to slide their 2024 designated hitter, Gavin Sheets, to first base. Sheets hit better against right-handed pitching, with a .251/.324/.453 slash in 2025. To get the most out of the position offensively, they would need to pair him up with a right-handed bat. Luis Campusano and Mason McCoy are potential options to fill that role.
Padres Considering the Outfield for Sung Mun Song
Without a clear position to start, the Padres could utilize Song as a de facto DH to get his bat in the lineup. He would man multiple positions to give regulars a day off from the field. Song has experience playing first, second, and third in Korea. Most of his experience comes at the hot corner, with 500 starts and over 4400 innings played.
Padres manager Craig Stammen threw out another possibility. In a press conference with the media, including Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News, Stammen threw the possibility of Song playing the outfield.
That’s a position that the 29-year-old has played in his career. Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis Jr. are firmly entrenched as the Padres’ center and right fielders. Most of his outfield reps would most likely eat into Ramón Laureano’s playing time in left field.
As a left-handed bat, Song naturally complements the right-handed-hitting Laureano. The latter enjoyed a strong year against righties in 2025, putting up a .281/.340/.508 slash.
However, his long-term track record against same-handed pitchers isn’t as strong. From 2021-24, Laureano was a below-average bat vs. right-handed pitching each season. That’s something the Padres have to guard against, as it carries three times as many plate appearances as his 2025 sample.
Song’s Role With the Padres
Song fits the mold of a utility infielder. He has experience playing three different infield positions. While the Padres have entrenched starters at three of the four spots, all of them are on the wrong side of 30. Machado, Bogaerts, and Cronenworth are entering their Age 33, 33, and 32 seasons respectively.
FanGraphs prospect evaluator Eric Longenhagen describes Song as a plus defender at both second and third base. Longenhagen is skeptical that the Korean infielder will hit well at the major league level. His track record in Korea isn’t as strong, as he was a below-average hitter in wRC+ from 2019-23. The last two seasons, his offense spiked, with his wRC+ jumping up to 143 and 151 before heading to MLB.
With an aging infield, it’s important to have useful depth. Song provides that at a reasonable cost, which should allow the Padres to navigate potential injuries during the season. A move to the outfield would extend that depth to the outfield, where Laureano is 31. In a National League West where four teams are vying for a playoff spot, San Diego can’t afford to have a dropoff in play when injuries strike.
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