The Atlanta Braves are in the enviable position of not having many places on their roster that can be realistically upgrade. Especially on offense, the Braves have a number of really strong players under contract at most positions which certainly limits the scope of players Atlanta would be considering at all this offseason. However, one area that could certainly use a lift is at shortstop.
Orlando Arcia looked like an absolute bargain in 2023, especially in the first half, where he showed some pop and a tendency to come up big in clutch situations while being an excellent defender. However, Arcia was quite bad last season. His defense remained strong at short, but his already middling batted ball characteristics cratered leading many to wonder if the Braves should strongly consider a change.
So far this offseason, the Braves have yet to address shortstop even though they were reportedly involved in the bidding for Willy Adames. One name that could be an interesting and potentially cost-effective solution is former Padres infielder Ha-Seong Kim.
Ha-Seong Kim crushes a 2-run homer! 💪 #SpringTraining pic.twitter.com/zj8zSCZS9b
— MLB (@MLB) March 3, 2024
Ha-Seong Kim should remain a Braves target this offseason, but only if they scrutinize his medicals carefully
There is a lot to like about Kim. He has a little bit of power even if his overall batted ball profile is somewhat lacking, draws a bunch of walks, has the speed to take extra bases, and is one of the best defenders in baseball when he is right (more on that in a minute). In a market that is devoid of high quality shortstops, Kim stands out given his overall upside.
The problem here is Kim's health which is a very big question mark. A shoulder injury in 2024 ended up requiring surgery to repair his labrum and the current word is that he won't play in the first half of 2025 as a result. Shoulder injuries are understandably spooky which is precisely why Kim's market hasn't materialized this offseason just yet after he declined his option with the Padres.
Kim passed up a guaranteed $8 million for 2025 with San Diego, so he isn't going to sign a one year "prove it" deal especially with Scott Boras newly hired as his agent. However, his injury should keep his cost down and that might be enough to get the Braves really interested.
The logic here is straightforward. Atlanta could sign Kim while keeping Arcia in the fold for the time being. If Arcia plays reasonably well and Kim's recovery goes according to plan, the Braves could trade Arcia at the trade deadline for a hefty return thanks to his 2026 club option and then pivot to playing Kim every day. If Arcia struggles, the Braves could live with it for the first half, install Kim once he is healthy, and either move Arcia or shift him to a bench utility role.
Ultimately, entertaining Kim as an option comes down to price and health. If Boras/Kim are reasonable in their demands and Kim's prognosis going forward is good, Atlanta should absolutely consider him this offseason. However, if Boras is holding out for a massive deal and/or Kim's medicals show cause for real concern, the Braves need to look elsewhere.