The Braves just can’t seem to catch a break when it comes to injuries - and the latest blow is a tough one. Over the weekend, newly signed shortstop Ha-Seong Kim tore a ligament in his finger after reportedly slipping on ice while in Korea.
The injury is expected to keep him out for four to five months, which means Atlanta will be without its starting shortstop for the first half of the season. That’s a brutal setback for a team that had just invested $20 million on a one-year deal to shore up one of its biggest roster holes.
This one stings especially hard because the Braves finally looked like they had addressed the shortstop position - a spot that’s been a revolving door since Dansby Swanson left for Chicago. Kim was supposed to bring stability and elite defense up the middle. Instead, the Braves are suddenly scrambling again, with Spring Training just weeks away and limited options on the table.
Let’s break down why this is such a complicated problem for Atlanta.
First, there’s the financial picture. The Braves are already operating with a payroll north of $260 million - the highest in franchise history.
That doesn’t leave much wiggle room, especially considering most of their remaining flexibility was expected to go toward bolstering the rotation. Could they still make a move?
Sure. But it’s going to take some creative maneuvering.
Then there’s the market itself. The crop of starting-caliber shortstops in free agency was thin to begin with, and now it’s basically been picked clean.
If the Braves want to look outside the organization, they’re likely going to have to explore the trade route - and that’s no easy task a month before the season starts. Teams aren’t exactly lining up to move a starting shortstop in January.
There is one intriguing name that could be worth watching: Nico Hoerner. The Cubs infielder is entering the final year of his contract, and with Chicago recently adding Alex Bregman, they’ve suddenly got a bit of an infield logjam.
Hoerner, a two-time Gold Glove winner, has quietly averaged close to 5.0 WAR over the past four seasons. At 28, he’s in his prime and could be a long-term answer at shortstop - not just a stopgap.
But make no mistake: prying Hoerner away from the Cubs would come at a steep cost. Any deal would likely require a significant trade package, and the Braves would need to feel confident they could extend him beyond 2026. That’s a big swing - the kind of move GM Alex Anthopoulos has made before, but only when the stars align.
The good news? Atlanta isn’t completely out of options internally.
Mauricio Dubón, who’s already on the roster, is more than capable of handling shortstop duties in the interim. He’s not Kim, but he’s a solid defender with positional versatility - and that’s exactly the kind of depth piece the Braves prioritized this offseason.
They didn’t plan to lean on him this heavily this early, but his presence softens the blow in a big way.
So, what’s the most realistic path forward? Unless a trade opportunity presents itself that makes too much sense to pass up, expect the Braves to roll with Dubón and reassess as the season unfolds.
Kim’s injury is a gut punch, no doubt. But this is a team that’s built to weather storms - and if they can stay afloat until their new shortstop is healthy, they’ll still be right in the thick of things when it matters most.