When the Tampa Bay Rays opted to cut some salary down the stretch in 2025, the Atlanta Braves leveraged their waiver wire position to infuse some offense at shortstop and attempt to improve their position for
2026 by taking on a few million in salary.
How acquired
The Braves claimed infielder — and with Atlanta, shortstop — Ha-Seong Kim off waivers on September 1. Kim made his stateside debut with the San Diego Padres in 2021 after seven seasons in the KBO. After a 2024 season cut short by injuries, Kim signed with the Rays prior to the 2025 season as a free agent on what was ostensibly a pillow contract: $13 million in 2025 with a $16 million player option for 2026.
What were the expectations?
This was a low-risk move by Atlanta. The team started with season with Orlando Arcia as the starting shortstop, but he was quickly replaced by Nick Allen. While Allen was up for a Gold Glove due to his stellar defense at shortstop, his offense was abysmal. With only the cash outlay to add Kim, Atlanta have him the last month of the season for a mutual test-drive for both the player and the team. The only downside was that they would’ve essentially tossed about $2 million into the wind if Kim opted out, but that was part of the risk-reward equation.
Before the Braves claimed him, Kim was not having a good time coming off shoulder surgery with the Rays. He had a 73 wRC+ and substantially diminished defensive performance across 24 games, but also couldn’t get into any kind of rhythm after returning from his shoulder rehab due to multiple Injured List stints associated with back issues. Trying to figure out what Kim was going to do in 2026 given the concerns about his shoulder and back was a decent reason to claim him and get a firsthand look at his struggles and health status.
2025 results
Kim played in 24 games with the Rays and 24 games with the Braves with an almost identical number of plate appearances for both organizations. Offensively, he was better with the Braves with a 91 wRC+ with Atlanta compared to a 73 wRC+ with the Rays, and the .307 xwOBA he posted with the Braves was similar to his career .304 xwOBA pre-2025.
Where things looked more grim was that he looked diminished defensively — Kim had been a substantially above-average fielder in his career around the infield, but was below-average defensively at shortstop in his small-sample 2025. In the end, he finished with 0.3 fWAR in 191 PAs, a rate below 1/600. His rate just on the Braves was pretty similar — not much above 1/600. It was his worst showing since his first season stateside, where he posted 0.4 fWAR in about 300 PAs.
What went right?
He stayed on the field with the Braves and largely seemed to be rid of any lingering back issues. The xwOBA ticking up towards something around the expected range was nice, too. These things, combined with the terrible state of the free agent market for shortstops, likely emboldened Kim to decline his player option, which is nice for him, but not so great for the Braves.
He also had a huge hit on September 3, just a few days after the Braves claimed him, turning around a Drew Pomeranz pitch for a three-run homer in the seventh while the Braves were down 1-0. The Braves were no-hit through six innings in the game, but Ozzie Albies broke that up with a single to start the frame. A walk and a couple of outs later, Kim played hero.
What went wrong?
His 2025 was not a fun time. There was the recovery from shoulder surgery, which lasted longer than expected. Then he had multiple stints on the IL due to back issues. He posted his worst aggregate hitting line (82 wRC+) since his MLB debut season, and as noted, his defense had serious issues. His arm strength dropped to below-average after being somewhere in the top two-thirds to three-fourths of MLB previously, his speed declined to average from top quintile-ish, and basically every defensive metric noted substantially diminished range.
Hopefully for everyone’s sake, all of this was explained by his shoulder and back injuries, and he’ll be back to his usual self when he’s free and clear of those issues.
Kim had a super-rough game down the stretch on September 26, when the Braves mailed in a 9-3 loss to the Pirates. He struck out to end the first with a runner on third, then struck out in the third with the bases loaded and one out while the Braves were down three. In the fifth, he hit into an inning-ending double play. Finally, in the seventh, he was the tying run with two outs and a man on, but had a routine fly to center.
2026 outlook
Kim declined his player option after the regular season and became a free agent. It was a win-win situation for Kim in 2025, thanks to the player option. Had he struggled with Atlanta — or had an injury setback — he could have picked-up his $16 million option for 2026. But, with a barren shortstop market, Kim took the risk that he could find a better deal on the open market.
Kim will surely have his suitors. Will that include the Braves? It seems likely that Atlanta will make a play for his services. While the team now has Mauricio Dubon as an option, he’s better cast as an all-around true utility guy. There’s also no real options available in the minor leagues to make the jump at the moment. Kim could be akin to a perfect fit if the two sides are able to agree on the player’s value.
Given Kim’s 4 WAR peak and the substantial uncertainty around his performance given the problematic and hopefully just temporary-and-injury-related foibles of his 2025, projection systems are splitting the difference with a 2-win-ish projection for 2025. If Kim can manage a league-average bat, he can be a below-average fielder and still be an average producer. If the defense rebounds, he’ll make whichever team nabs him out of free agency all the happier.
