It's no secret that the Atlanta Braves have a glaring need at shortstop that needs resolution this offseason. Nick Allen was wonderful defensively in 2025, but that success didn't translate at the plate. That's precisely why when Ha-Seong Kim surprisingly landed with the Braves, Allen was relegated to a bench role. Kim was a revelation with Atlanta and felt like he fit right in with the rest of the clubhouse.
Kim played so well that there are now doubts he will exercise his player option to remain in Atlanta, a possibility that was previously unthinkable before he got to Atlanta. That leaves the Braves in a tough spot of having to negotiate with Scott Boras, who will no doubt require top dollar for Kim.
Atlanta has a need at the position, and if recent contract predictions for another top free agent are to be believed, the Braves will be paying a high price to fill their need.
The price for shortstops this offseason should spur the Braves to act quickly if Bleacher Report is even close to right
Bo Bichette has been linked as a fit for the Braves over the last couple of years. However, a trade would have been very costly to acquire him before this point and he is anything but a sure thing. Bichette is a great offensive piece, but his defense is extremely lackluster (he had a -12 DRS and -13 OAA in 2025).
There's no guarantee Atlanta would have wanted to add him with how high they value defense. If that wasn't the case before, it probably is now. Joel Reuter from Bleacher Report predicted that Bichette will earn a seven-year, $180 million contract in the offseason. That is a lot of money for a guy who may not be able to play the position in the short or long-term.
That puts him at an AAV just over $25 million. That's a pretty penny for a player who may only perform well at the plate. And that's not even mentioning the injury risk attached to him. Kim has far better value on both sides of the ball. His player option is valued at $16 million should he accept it. If not, I imagine he will likely want something close to what Bichette expects to receive.
A three-year, $65 million contract with a player option for a fourth year should hopefully be enough to convince Kim to remain with the Braves. Atlanta hasn't always had luck with signing big-name free agents. However, this is the one time they really need to try and make it happen.