Song Sung-mun of the San Diego Padres runs on the field during a Major League Baseball regular-season game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu in Mexico City, Mexico, Sunday (location time). Reuters-Yonhap
Song Sung-mun of the San Diego Padres has been sent back to the minors after a brief appearance in Major League Baseball (MLB) without having stepped into the batter's box.
The Padres announced Monday (local time) they optioned the Korean infielder to Triple-A El Paso. The move came a day after Song made his MLB debut as a pinch runner against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the second game of their Mexico City Series. Song ran for catcher Luis Campusano and did not get to hit in that game.
Song had been called up from El Paso as the extra, 27th player prior to the first game in Mexico City on Saturday. MLB teams are allowed to add a player to their usual, 26-man roster for international games.
Song, a former All-Star in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), signed a four-year contract with the Padres in December 2025. He began the 2026 season on the injured list while dealing with an oblique strain and spent weeks in the minors in rehab.
Song had six hits across his past three games before the call-up. In 20 games in Triple-A, Song has a .293/.369/.320 line, along with 12 RBIs, but zero home runs or steals.
Song's demotion leaves two Korean players in MLB, both of whom were his teammates with the Kiwoom Heroes in the KBO: Lee Jung-hoo of the San Francisco Giants and Kim Hye-seong of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Source: Korea Times News
