Braves sent dire warning about signing Bo Bichette over reuniting with Ha-Seong Kim originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Atlanta Braves have some crucial decisions to make at the shortstop position before it’s too late. There are two likely options. The first — and best — is to re-sign Ha-Seong Kim or extend him before he reaches free agency.
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“The deadline for a decision from Kim is five days after the World Series concludes, meaning the Braves only have at most a couple more weeks to work out an extension with Kim before other teams come calling,” HTHB’s Chase Owens wrote. “The question is: can Anthopoulos get an offer on the table that would make Kim reconsider testing the market? Is four years, $90 million enough to get it done, or is Kim determined to see what other teams will offer, knowing the Braves should be there as a fallback?”
The second option is to pursue Bo Bichette in free agency. However, that move would be significantly more costly and could lead to a nightmarish scenario.
“Speaking of shortstop alternatives, Bo Bichette is a popular name for the Braves and that is not a move Atlanta needs to make. Not only is Bichette going to be looking for a contract that may approach $200 million at 27 years old, but he is a flawed player. The guy can flat out hit for sure, but he dealt with injuries this season and his defensive shortcomings blunt the benefits of his bat. Between the cost and being a net negative on defense, signing Bichette would likely be a big mistake from an opportunity cost perspective,” HTHB’s Eric Cole wrote.
This warning to the Braves is one that shouldn’t be ignored. While Atlanta has lacked offensive production from the shortstop position, defense remains essential for the middle infield.
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Bichette simply doesn’t provide that at this stage of his career, as his game leans more toward offense. If the Braves can’t secure Kim, it will be interesting to see how they choose to regroup.
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