#ha-seong-kim

#ha-seong-kim

Ha-seong Kim has a player-only option at 16 million dollars for 2026. Everything right now suggests that he will opt out and search for a new contract. In 2025, Kim picked up 0.3 WAR through 191 PAs. He had a .234/.304/.345 line with a 82 wRC+ overall. However, most of that was injury-riddled. In 98 post-IL-stint Braves PAs, he picked up 73 more points of OPS versus before. Still, he was 26th of 30 in shortstop WAR post-injury aka September.

A recent MLB Trade Rumors article previewed the 2025-2026 shortstop free agent class, with names like Bo Bichette and Trevor Story. It's a good read for Atlanta Braves fans, given the question mark at shortstop. Ha-Seong Kim has an opt-out this offseason, and after a down year at the plate, his return to Atlanta is far from certain. With few strong options on the market, his decision will be one to pay close attention to.

Last September, Kim was wrapping up a season in which he had hit .233/.330/.370, good for a league average wRC+ of 101. He combined that with strong defense at shortstop and 22 steals on the base paths, and it was actually the weakest of his last three seasons in the majors. Since the start of 2022, Kim had hit .250/.336/.385 with 72 steals, a 17.9% strikeout rate, and a walk rate of 11.0% with 13.0 bWAR and 10.5 fWAR accumulated.

While it is his decision to pick up or decline the player option, either the move is a $2 million dollar shortstop for the final month of the season or $16 million for a 30-year old shortstop with a fantastic defensive resume and a solid offensive resume on a one year deal.

The Atlanta Braves made a series of roster moves Tuesday, beginning with the activation of the recently acquired Ha-Seong Kim. The announcement was followed by Jurickson Profar's move to the paternity list, the promotion of Hayden Harris, and the demotions of Hunter Stratton and Wander Suero. In his Braves debut, Kim logged eight innings at shortstop and went 2-for-4 at the plate. Should he stay with the club, it appears Atlanta has solved the shortstop problem.

Time to change everything again, given the presence of Ha-Seong Kim and Jurickson Profar's status on the paternity list: Not too much to say in general here, other than Eli White hitting ahead of Sean Murphy is today's source of mirth, and at least Ronald Acuña Jr. is temporarily (?) freed from the abattoir of hitting third. It's certainly a new lineup and defensive arrangement given Kim's presence.

Kim has an option for 2026, but that appears to be a player-only option, not a team option or two-way option. So if Kim wishes, he can collect $16 million from Atlanta. Kim has posted a .214/.290/.321 line with a 72 wRC+ in 93 injury-plagued plate appearances. The lower back inflammation that he is suffering is in addition to hamstring and calf issues in his right leg. But when (and if) healthy, he is a solid option 2-4 WAR player.