Blake Snell has hilarious praise for Padres teammate

Aug 13, 2021; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Blake Snell (4) pitches in the second inning of the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

San Diego Padres pitcher Blake Snell is a huge fan of one of his teammates, and he said as much in a hilarious way Wednesday.

Padres infielder Ha-Seong Kim has established himself as a hugely important player for the team by contributing timely hits and playing outstanding defense. He hit leadoff for the Padres on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Angels and contributed with two walks and a stolen base in a 5-3 win.

Snell said Wednesday that Kim is his “favorite player,” joking that he falls behind only Ichiro and Ken Griffey Jr. on his personal all-time list.

“I love him. He’s my favorite player. It goes Ichiro, Griffey, and then him.” -Blake Snell on Ha-Seong Kim #padres

— Allison Edmonds (@aedmondstv) July 6, 2023

The 27-year-old Kim might be one of baseball’s most underrated players. He is hitting .254 with 10 home runs while playing elite defense at multiple positions. That’s quite the contribution for a guy that was supposedly available for trade during the offseason.