The Atlanta Braves claimed infielder Ha-Seong Kim off of waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays, it was announced yesterday.
Though running veterans through waivers at the end of August, with an eye towards seeing if a team will claim them (and their salary) before the deadline for a player to be in a team’s organization in order to be playoff eligible, has become commonplace since the elimination of post-July 31 trades a few years ago, the teams that put in claims for players are generally playoff contenders.
Atlanta, at 62-76, is well out of the playoff hunt, and so claiming Kim does not help them this year.
However, the deal Kim signed with the Rays this past offseason was for one year, $13 million, with a player option for 2026 for $16 million. Kim has played in only 24 games this year for the Rays, slashing .214/.290/.321, and has spent most of the season on the injured list, so he almost certainly will exercise the player option. The Braves, in claiming him, are presumably looking to him to improve their middle infield situation for 2026, and feel $16 million (plus the $2 million they owe him for the rest of 2026) is a reasonable price to pay.
Orlando Arcia was the Braves’ shortstop in 2023 and 2024, and even made the All Star Game in 2023, but did not hit last year, and was released this year in May after putting up a 445 OPS in limited playing time. Nick Allen has gotten most of the starts at shortstop for Atlanta this year, but while he has been great with the glove, he has slashed a Belanger-esque .222/.285/.249 this year — in line with the .209/.254/.283 slash line he put up with Oakland the previous three seasons. Ozzie Albies, meanwhile, has put up an 85 OPS+ at second base.
Kim spent four seasons with the San Diego Padres prior to becoming a free agent this past offseason, displaying exceptional glovework in the infield (including a Gold Glove in 2023) while slashing .242/.326/.380 and stealing 78 bases in 95 attempts. If he can return to his previous form — he put up 15.1 bWAR in 540 games for San Diego — he’s well worth the $16 million he will get next season.
The other two notable waiver claims at the end of August were Aaron Civale, who was claimed by the Chicago Cubs from the Chicago White Sox, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who was claimed by the Toronto Blue Jays from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
