San Diego, CA

Padres roster review: Sung-Mun song

Published

3 months ago

January 6, 2026

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Padres roster review: Sung-Mun song – San Diego Union-Tribune

SUNG-MUN SONG

Position(s): Third base, second base
Bats / Throws: Left / Right
2026 opening day age: 29
Height / Weight: 6-foot / 194 pounds
How acquired: Signed as a free agent in December 2025
Contract status: A four-year, $15 million deal will see Song make $2.5 million in 2026, $3 million in 2027, $3.5 million in 2028 and $4 million in 2029 if he does not opt out of last year; Half of his $1 million signing bonus is due in January 2026 and the other half in 2027; There is a $7 million mutual option for 2030.
fWAR in 2025: N/A
Key 2025 stats (KBO): .315 AVG, .387 OBP, .530 SLG, 26 HRs, 90 RBIs, 103 runs, 68 walks, 96 strikeouts, 25 steals (144 games, 646 plate appearances)

STAT TO NOTE

.214 — Song’s isolated power in 2025, a career high as he prepared for a jump to the majors. Isolated power measures a player’s raw power (extra bases per at-bat) and Song had a .190 OPS in 2018, in his third year as a pro in Korea, before it dropped to .101 in 2019 and then a career-low .095 in 2023. Hitting 19 homers pushed Song’s isolated power to .178 in 2024 and then a career-high 26 homers push it even higher in 2025.

Idle — Drafted by the Heroes in 2014, Song debuted in the KBO the following year but didn’t become a regular until 2019. A drop-off in production — he had an .884 OPS in 78 games in 2018 and a .597 OPS in 103 games in 2019 — was followed by losing the 2020 season and a chunk of the 2021 season to military service obligations. Then three straight sub-.700 OPS seasons forced Song to rethink his approach to professional baseball, especially in the face of the likes of Ha-Seong Kim, Jung Hoo Lee and Hyeseong Kim generating big-league buzz. Song started with weight training and nutrition. A hitting coach also helped him with balance, pull-side power and the ability to catch up with the sort of fastballs that seem to dog Korean players when they arrive in the States. It all added up to a breakthrough year in which Song paired 19 homers, 104 RBIs and 21 steals with a .340/.409/.518 batting line. To prove it was no fluke, Song followed up his 2024 season with another strong effort that solidified his wish to try his hand in the majors. The ensuing, four-year, $15 million deal that Song signed with the Padres in December cost his new employer a $3 million posting fee to be paid to the Kiwoom Heroes.

2026 OUTLOOK

Like Kim before him, Song appears to be joining the Padres as a utility player with the hope that he blossoms into more as he gets comfortable in a new country and league. Song had experience in Korea at third base (500 starts), second base (149 starts) and first base (38 starts). Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller even mentioned outfield reps in passing as he assessed how Song could help the Padres in 2026.

Former KBO player Sung-Mun Song shakes hands with Padres vice president of amateur and international scouting Pete DeYoung after signing a contract with the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Saturday. (Photo by Armond Feffer/San Diego Padres)

ROSTER RANKINGS

24. INF Sung-Mun Song
25. RHP Matt Waldron
26. OF Bryce Johnson
27. RHP Ron Marinaccio
28. RHP Bryan Hoeing
29. LHP Kyle Hart
30. RHP Jhony Brito
31. INF Will Wagner
32. OF Tirso Ornelas
33. RHP Garrett Hawkins
34. RHP Miguel Mendez
35. RHP Daison Acosta
36. RHP Ty Adcock
37. RHP Alek Jacob
38. INF Mason McCoy

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San Diego, CA

Former San Diego State guard transferring to Creighton

Published

11 minutes ago

April 16, 2026

Press Room

Former San Diego State guard transferring to Creighton

Guard BJ Davis is transferring from the San Diego State Aztecs to the Creighton Blue Jays.

Davis was the first Aztecs player whose plans to transfer became public after the Aztecs failed to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time in six seasons.

Davis made a buzzer-beating layup to beat New Mexico in the semifinals of the Mountain West Tournament, but the Aztecs lost the championship game to Utah State and were snubbed by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee for an at-large berth because of a weak resume.

He is the fourth of the six Aztecs players in the portal to find a new home. Wing Miles Byrd committed to Providence, forward Pharoh Compton signed with Oregon and Magoon Gwath landed at DePaul.

That leaves forward Miles Heide and guard Taj DeGourville looking for new homes via the portal.

What this means in the big picture

In an interesting twist, Davis, Gwath and Byrd will play against each other in the Big East.

Only Creighton finished in the top half of the Big East last season, at 9-11 in conference and 16-18 overall. DePaul was 8-12 and 16-16, while Providence finished 7-13 and 15-18.

Creighton lost to Seton Hall in the Big East tournament quarterfinals and then played in The Crown, where it beat Rutgers and lost to West Valley.

The Aztecs, meanwhile, have landed Rice guard Nick Anderson and Sacramento State forward Jeremiah “Bear” Cherry.

Who is BJ Davis?

Davis just finished his junior season. He came to SDSU from Modesto Christian High, where he was a four-star prospect, according to 247Sports.com. At the time of his signing, he was the No. 122 recruit nationally, the No. 17 point guard and No. 18 overall in California. He picked SDSU over schools like Boise State, Wyoming, Fresno State and Washington State.

Why Davis was important to the Aztecs

Davis was one of five players who played in all 33 games for the Aztecs and was the leader of the No. 2-ranked scoring bench in the nation. His role was important enough that he was named All-MW honorable mention.

He was second in scoring at 10.8 points per game, third in minutes at 22.2, fifth in assists at 2.2 and second in steals at 1.1.

Davis became a key player off the bench early in the season. At one point he was the team’s leading scorer despite not having made a start, and scored in double figures for seven straight games early on.

He was moved into the starting lineup for seven straight games midway through the Mountain West schedule when injuries sidelined freshman guard Elzie Harrington and forward Magoon Gwath.

He finished the season as an important bench player.

Davis’ big moments

Davis is perhaps best remembered for his steal and 3-pointer that sent a home game against Boise State into a second overtime on Jan. 3. The Aztecs ended up winning 110-107 in three overtimes after blowing a 24-point lead during regulation.

Davis finished the regular season on a high note by scoring a career high 30 points on 11-of-17 shooting, including 4-of-8 from 3-point line, in a home win against UNLV on March 6.

He then beat the Lobos with a layup in the closing seconds of the MW tourney semis.

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San Diego, CA

Woman injured in police shooting in East Village

Published

12 hours ago

April 16, 2026

Press Room

Woman injured in police shooting in East Village

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A woman was injured after a shooting involving a police officer in the East Village Wednesday evening.

The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) said that officers were investigating a shooting involving an officer that happened near 16th Street and Island Avenue around 5 p.m.

Officials told our FOX 5/KUSI reporter Kasia Gregorczyk that officers received a call about an assault with a deadly weapon. When they arrived at the scene, they found a woman allegedly attempting to stab a man with a sharp object.

The woman then reportedly did not comply with police orders to drop the weapon, and multiple rounds were fired. Officials said the woman was shot at least once in the torso by an officer.

Lt. Juan Marquez with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit said the suspect was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The San Diego Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting, which is protocol for shootings involving San Diego police.

A witness at the scene said that the woman appeared to be homeless and was fighting with another homeless person before the shooting happened.

Police said that there were no threats to the public and that traffic in the area would be affected for several hours.

The Sheriff’s Office said that San Diego police plans to release body cam footage of the incident late next week.

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San Diego, CA

Fizz & flavor: Downtown San Diego’s lost soda fountains

Published

1 day ago

April 15, 2026

Press Room

Fizz & flavor: Downtown San Diego’s lost soda fountains

View of US Army draftees in the interior of a drug store at the soda fountain. A soda fountain may be at the US Army Camp Callan in La Jolla, where draftees are stationed. A young woman is behind the counter serving soldiers in about 1940. (Photo courtesy of the San Diego History Center)

Before coffee chains and fast-casual counters defined everyday routines, soda fountains were part of the social fabric of downtown San Diego. Behind marble counters and rows of chrome stools, soda jerks worked quickly and precisely, mixing flavored syrups, carbonated water, and ice cream into drinks that were as much about experience as refreshment.

The work was part craft, part performance. Glasses clinked, syrup bottles lined mirrored shelves, and conversations unfolded across counters that served as informal gathering places for neighbors, students, and workers alike.

From the 1920s through the 1950s, soda fountains were woven into the rhythm of downtown life — stops between errands, after-school meeting spots, and casual places where people lingered over malts, sodas, and sundaes.

Soda fountains originated in late 19th-century pharmacies, where carbonated water and flavored syrups were first offered as refreshing tonics. Over time, these counters evolved beyond retail service and became informal social spaces embedded in everyday urban life.

By the early 20th century, soda fountains were common fixtures in downtown commercial corridors. They attracted families shopping in nearby stores, office workers on breaks, and teenagers gathering after school.

Historical references indicate that downtown San Diego included a range of soda fountain counters during this period, often operating inside drugstores, lunch counters, and small independent shops.

Downtown favorites and neighborhood counters

Among the establishments documented in historical references and city directory listings was United Soda Fountain, which opened in 1939 and became a steady downtown gathering place known for classic counter service, ice cream sodas, and milkshakes.

Wimer’s Soda Fountain is also referenced in historical accounts as part of the downtown dining landscape, reflecting the broader popularity of small, independently run soda counters that served regular customers by name.

Soda fountains were also commonly integrated into drugstores and neighborhood markets. The Ace Drug Store in Mission Hills, for example, is cited in historical references as a location where malts, egg creams, and simple lunch fare were served alongside pharmacy goods.

View of the United Cigar Store Building at 30th Street and University Avenue in North Park in 1929. The building is also advertising United Lunch and Soda Fountain. (Photo courtesy of the San Diego History Center)

On Market Street, Gadson’s Store appears in 1920s and 1930s-era commercial records as part of the downtown retail corridor, combining general merchandise with a soda fountain counter typical of the era.

These establishments reflected a broader pattern in which food service and retail were closely intertwined, and where soda fountains functioned as informal neighborhood anchors.

The sights and sounds of the counter

What defined soda fountains was not just the menu, but the sensory experience.

There was the hiss of carbonation hitting flavored syrup, the rhythmic clink of glassware, and the visual display of colored bottles lined behind mirrored counters. Customers often sat shoulder to shoulder, watching drinks prepared in real time.

Menus typically included chocolate malts, root beer floats, phosphates, and ice cream sundaes topped with whipped cream and cherries. Many soda fountains also served simple food items such as sandwiches, chili, and light lunch plates.

Archival photographs from the San Diego History Center and other historical collections depict these spaces as active social environments, with soda jerks behind counters and customers gathered in close conversation.

*A soda jerk passing an ice cream soda between two soda fountains in the 1950s. (Photo via Wikipedia/Public Domain)*

The end of an era

By the late 1950s and into the 1960s, soda fountains began to decline as suburban expansion, automobile culture, and national fast-food chains reshaped dining habits across the country.

As retail patterns shifted, many independent drugstores and small lunch counters closed or removed their fountain service entirely. The social role once played by soda fountains gradually moved to diners, drive-ins, and later, chain restaurants.

What remains today are photographs, directory listings, and oral histories that preserve the memory of a downtown culture built around shared counters and informal gathering spaces.

Legacy

Though soda fountains have largely disappeared from the urban landscape, their influence remains visible in the continued popularity of ice cream shops, retro diners, and nostalgic soda-style beverages.

They represent a period in San Diego’s history when a simple drink was not just a transaction, but an invitation to pause, gather, and connect.

Read more history stories here; send an email to Debbiesklar@cox.net

Sources:

San Diego History Center Archives — photographic collections and historical materials documenting soda fountains and early downtown retail environments.
San Diego City Directories (1920s–1950s), San Diego Public Library Special Collections — business listings for drugstores, soda fountains, and lunch counters.
San Diego Union and Evening Tribune Archives (via Newspapers.com and California Digital Newspaper Collection) — advertisements, listings, and commercial references to soda fountains and drugstores.
Library of Congress — historic imagery and documentation of American soda fountains and pharmacy counters.
Smithsonian Institution — historical research on American soda fountains and early 20th-century consumer culture.
City of San Diego Planning Department historic context reports — retail and commercial development patterns in early and mid-century San Diego.

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