Padres’ Sung Mun Song Dealing with Oblique Injury, Eyes Spring Return
The Padres' newest infield addition, Sung Mun Song, is facing an early test in his transition to Major League Baseball. The 29-year-old is expected to miss approximately four weeks due to an oblique injury sustained during a recent batting practice session. While the timing isn’t ideal, there’s a silver lining: if his recovery stays on track, Song could be back just in time for the start of San Diego’s spring training.
Now, oblique injuries are notoriously unpredictable. They’re the kind of soft-tissue issues that don’t always follow the script - one swing or twist can set things back.
So while the four-week estimate offers some optimism, it’s more of a best-case scenario than a guarantee. The Padres will be watching closely, especially since this is Song’s first big league spring camp.
Even a minor delay in his ramp-up could push his full debut back, and if needed, the team could start him on the 10-day injured list to buy a little more time.
There’s also the matter of the upcoming World Baseball Classic in March. It’s unclear whether Song was planning to suit up for South Korea, but he wasn’t part of the national team’s preliminary training camp that kicked off on January 9. That absence might suggest he wasn’t in the team’s immediate plans - whether due to the injury or a decision to focus fully on his first MLB season.
Song’s rise to the big leagues has been anything but overnight. He wasn’t on South Korea’s WBC roster back in 2023, and for good reason - his bat didn’t really come alive in the KBO until 2024.
That year, he broke out with 19 home runs and a .340/.409/.518 slash line across 602 plate appearances for the Kiwoom Heroes. He followed that up with an even stronger 2025 campaign, hitting .315 with 26 homers and a .530 slugging percentage over 646 trips to the plate.
That two-year stretch turned heads in MLB front offices.
San Diego made the move in December, signing Song to a four-year, $15 million deal that includes a player opt-out before the 2029 season and a club option for 2030. It’s a low-risk, high-upside move for the Padres, who are betting on Song’s bat translating to the big leagues.
While Manny Machado is firmly entrenched at third base, Song’s versatility opens up all kinds of possibilities. He’s capable of playing first and second base, and the Padres have even floated the idea of giving him reps in the outfield.
There’s a lot to like about Song’s profile - the bat-to-ball skills, the developing power, the positional flexibility. But this oblique injury is an early speed bump.
It won’t define his MLB journey, but it does put his spring timeline in question. For now, the Padres will be hoping the rehab goes smoothly and that Song can hit the ground running when camp opens.
Because if he picks up where he left off in Korea, he could quickly become a key piece in San Diego’s 2026 plans.