The best of times, the worst of seasons

San Diego Padres designated hitter and first baseman Ji-Man Choi, 32, was placed on the disabled list for the second time this season.

San Diego placed Choi on the 10-day disabled list on Friday with a strained left rib muscle.

Choi, who hit .233 with 11 homers, 52 RBIs and a .729 OPS for the Tampa Bay Rays last year, was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the offseason. Tampa Bay made the trade in order to avoid the inevitable increase in salary adjustment filings.

He went to Pittsburgh and lost his arbitration hearing, leaving him with a salary of $4.65 million in 2023. The team was counting on his power, but after nine games in April, he was placed on the long-term disabled list with a left Achilles injury. He returned from the disabled list on July 8 against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

With his power seemingly restored with four home runs since his return, Pittsburgh traded left-hander Rich Hill to the San Diego Padres for Choi. San Diego’s trade deadline move was a bust.

In seven games with San Diego, Choi went 0-for-4. He is 0-for-11 with five walks and three runs scored. Hill, 43, has appeared in two games and is 2-2 with a 12.79 ERA in 6.1 innings pitched. The other two members of the Pittsburgh rotation are not helping the team at all.안전놀이터

First baseman/outfielder Garrett Cooper, acquired from the Miami Marlins, has been better than Choi. He’s 3-for-16 with one home run and one RBI.

Choi is a situational player. He is a self-made man who came to the United States alone and worked his way up through the minors to the big leagues. He made his debut with the Los Angeles Angels on April 6, 2016, and has a .236 career batting average, 67 home runs, 236 RBIs, and a .768 OPS. His $4.65 million salary this year is the highest of his career.

He will be a free agent after the 2023 season. His lack of success this season will make it difficult for him to sign a multi-year deal, let alone a big one. There is no “free agent effect” at all. He’s been on the disabled list twice and hasn’t had a great season. Free agency is all about timing, and it just happens to coincide with the worst season. It’s like walking down the aisle.