The Atlanta Braves have a number of key decisions to make this offseason — from rebuilding the roster to hiring a new manager. Beyond filling the manager position, one of the most closely evaluated areas will be shortstop. The Braves may have found a temporary solution in Ha-Seong Kim, and retaining him appears to be a top priority this winter.
“Anthopoulos said shortstop, bullpen and rotation are among the areas they’ll discuss addressing this winter. The hope is still to retain Ha-Seong Kim, but lots of factors there,” AJC’s Gabe Burns wrote.
However, re-signing Kim presents a challenge. After a strong finish to the season, he may be tempted to test the waters in free agency — especially given the market.
“Because of this thin market, that would incentivise Kim to test the market. For that same reason, it’s even more important that the Braves find a way to retain his services,” SI’s Harrison Smajovits wrote. “If he opts out and signs elsewhere, they could be back to square one with this dilemma. The offense has had its struggles as is, and they have, at least for now, figured out one of the issues.”
If Kim does not return, the Braves could pivot to a trade — and Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Jordan Lawlar may be on their radar.
“There is a way to make this sort of trade make sense for both sides. The Diamondbacks have a lot going for them in their lineup led by Perdomo, Corbin Carroll, and Ketel Marte, but they really need pitching especially with some of the guys expected to leave in free agency. Atlanta doesn’t have a ton of depth in their farm system, but they do have some pitching prospects that could be included in such a move. Cam Caminiti went to high school in the Scottsdale area and is highly regarded, so perhaps the former first round pick could be the centerpiece,” HTHB’s Eric Cole wrote.
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While Atlanta would be giving up a valuable arm, Lawlar could become a long-term solution at shortstop — potentially anchoring the position for the rest of his career. The Braves have already benefitted from acquiring a promising shortstop from Arizona once before: Dansby Swanson, who left Atlanta as a World Series champion.
A deal like this could benefit both teams. And for the Braves, it might be the best answer to what could become one of their biggest offseason problems.
