The San Diego Padres have recalled Korean infielder Sung-Mun Song from Triple-A El Paso to be the 27th man for the Mexico City Series.
The San Diego Padres have called up Korean infielder Sung-Mun Song from Triple-A El Paso to be the team’s 27th man for the two-game Mexico City Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Song, 29, signed a four-year, $15 million contract to join the Padres during free agency. He spent 10 seasons in the Korean Baseball Organization League (KBO) and is recognized as an incredible hitter, posting career stats of 818 hits, 80 home runs, 144 doubles, 22 triples and 454 RBI while slashing .283/.347/.431 (.778 OPS) in 824 games.
“Song hit 26 homers, stole 25 bases and had a .917 OPS last season for the KBO’s Kiwoom Heroes and was voted the league’s Player of the Year,” MLB.com’s Brian Murphy wrote Saturday. “In 2024, Song had 19 home runs and 21 steals in 142 games while recording a .340 average and a career-high .927 OPS.”
Song was set to be a member of the Padres roster out of spring training, but a right oblique strain forced him to begin the season in the injured list. When he was cleared, he played 20 games for the El Paso Chihuahuas and went 22-for-75 (.293 batting average) with a .369 on-base percentage and .689 OPS to go along with 12 RBI.
Song isn’t in the Padres’ lineup for the first game, but he should be available off the bench and could come into the game to play defense late if necessary. The following lineup will take on Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen in the opener of the Mexico City Series:
1. Ramon Laureano (LF)
2. Fernando Tatis Jr. (RF)
3. Jackson Merrill (CF)
4. Manny Machado (3B)
5. Xander Bogaerts (SS)
6. Gavin Sheets (DH)
7. Ty France (1B)
8. Freddy Fermin (C)
9. Jake Cronenworth (2B)
Gallen is 1-1 with a 3.51 ERA and 1.48 WHIP through five starts (25.2 innings) and has been sharp after re-signing with Arizona late in the offseason. He has been hit hard his last couple of outings (17 hits over last 10.2 innings), but he hasn’t allowed more than three runs in a start since Opening Day.
Gallen will hope to get run support from this Diamondbacks lineup taking on San Diego right-hander German Marquez:
1. Geraldo Perdomo (SS)
2. Ketel Marte (2B)
3. Corbin Carroll (RF)
4. Adrian Del Castillo (C)
5. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (LF)
6. Ildemaro Vargas (1B)
7. Nolan Arenado (3B)
8. Jose Fernandez (DH)
9. Alek Thomas (CF)
Marquez has had two scoreless outings and two outings in which he allowed four runs to begin his tenure as a Padre. He is 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA and 1.39 WHIP through 18.2 innings.
After spending his first 10 seasons with the Colorado Rockies, Marquez escaped the high altitude and joined San Diego as a depth arm who has come up huge for a depleted Padres starting rotation.
Although he got out of Colorado, he won’t be able to escape the high altitude of Mexico City, which is approximately 7,350 feet above sea level; these games are likely to be high scoring.
First pitch is at 3:05 PDT on MLB.TV and regional sports networks.