San Diego Padres right-hander Nick Martinez expressed his affection for teammate Ha Sung Kim.
“Kimmy (Kim’s nickname) is a great friend,” Martinez told the Padres media during the team’s game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Washington, on Tuesday.
Describing Kim as “a player with a lot of energy,” Martinez added, “I like that he’s speaking more and more Spanish than English.”
While Kim lives with an interpreter and communicates through her in formal settings, such as interviews with local media, it’s not uncommon to see her chatting with her teammates without an interpreter.
In the process, it was revealed through interviews with his colleagues that he speaks Spanish as well as English.
The Padres have other Spanish-speaking players on the team, including Fernando Tatis Jr, Manny Machado, and Juan Soto.
It’s no wonder that Kim, who is in his third season in the major leagues, hasn’t picked up much Spanish.
“I like his trash talk in Spanish,” Martinez said, “and I love his energy. He brings life to the team and makes it fun for the players. He’s fun to be around,” Martinez said, adding his praise for his teammate.메이저놀이터
Kim Ha-seong, meanwhile, started at second base in the first game of the day and got a hit, extending his hitting streak to 15 games.