Ha-Seong Kim was supposed to solve a problem for the Atlanta Braves. Instead, he has become one.
The fit made sense on paper when Atlanta claimed him off waivers on Sept. 1.
Kim had opened the 2025 season in the Rays organization while still coming back from offseason shoulder surgery, and the production never really came around there. Recurring lower back strains and a left foot injury dragged him down to a .214/.290/.304 line in 93 plate appearances.
He looked much more like the player the Braves thought they were getting once he arrived in Atlanta. In 98 plate appearances with the club, Kim hit .253/.316/.368. That performance was enough for Atlanta to bring him back on a one-year, $20 million deal after he turned down his $16 million option for 2026.
But the follow-up has been brutal. Kim missed the first six weeks after surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right middle finger, an injury he suffered after slipping on ice. Since returning, he has offered almost nothing at the plate, managing just five singles in 82 plate appearances.
The Braves do have other choices at shortstop. Mauricio Dubon has handled the position most often, even though Atlanta has leaned on him more in left field.
Dubon has put together a career-best .267/.316/.421 line in 314 plate appearances, with eight home runs and 17 doubles. Jorge Mateo has also given the club a solid first half, batting .262/.301/.421 with four homers and five doubles in 113 plate appearances.
With the Phillies surging and pushing for the NL East lead, Atlanta can’t keep living with a dead spot in the lineup. The Braves need to move on from Kim.
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