When the Atlanta Braves entered the offseason after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2017, the club entered with a few glaring holes, including shortstop when Ha-Seong Kim opted out. While the Braves made some contengencies, a reunion with Kim appeared to be the goal. However, the trade for Mauricio Dubon muddied the waters a bit and made many wonder if Atlanta was going to pursue Kim in earnest anymore.
For weeks, there was precious little about Kim's free agency and the Braves' potential interest in him out there in the rumor mill, which Braves fans should have probably taken as a clue that AA was at work. After a month-and-a-half on the open market, Kim decided that Atlanta was the place for him after all, re-signing with the Braves on a one-year deal worth $20 million.
Ha-Seong Kim to Braves, $20M
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 16, 2025
Ha-Seong Kim returns to Braves after free agency
For the Braves, they get an everyday shortstop, although only for 2026. Atlanta gets to employ Dubon as a utility knife similar to how he was used for most of his tenure with the Astros and Kim gets a chance to hit the open market against next offseason with (hopefully) a strong 2026 season bolstering his case for a lucrative multi-year deal.
Kim's 2025 was a disappointment as far as performance went, as the 29-year-old struggled with injuries. With the Rays, Kim slashed just .214/.290/.321 (73 wRC+), which was enough for the Rays to let him go to Atlanta on waivers at the end of August.
While Kim was much better for the Braves, slashing .253/.316/.368 (91 wRC+), it was still short of his success he had with the Padres from 2022-2024. Still, it was enough for the South Korea native to take a chance and decline a $16 million option for 2026, especially considering a relatively weak shortstop market.
This may have been the ideal outcome for Atlanta. They get a guy that, at minimum, will be a good (if not great) defender at shortstop and who is motivated to perform at the plate. They got such a guy without having to be locked into a long-term deal with the impending CBA talks looming. It isn't a perfect solution, but it is more than good enough.