The Atlanta Braves struggled in 2024 more than anybody expected. After two early injuries to Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr., the Braves never really rebounded like they were expected to. Atlanta snuck into the postseason before getting bounced in the Wild Card round. As we head toward the 2025 season, the Braves will need to improve their roster or they’re going to fall short again.

R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports recently predicted the Braves would take a bit of a risk at improving their roster. Anderson predicted the Braves would sign San Diego Padres infielder Ha-Seong Kim this offseason. Kim is currently recovering from a serious shoulder surgery. “Kim’s free agency is complicated by the season-ending shoulder surgery he underwent late in the summer that will sideline him for most, if not all of the first half,” Anderson wrote. “There are only so many teams willing to invest in a player who they know won’t be available to them for much of the upcoming year. This is total guesswork, but the Braves make sense on a few levels, including upgrading over Orlando Arcia for the stretch run.”

Kim, at full strength, would be a solid upgrade over Arcia. When Kim is at 100 percent, he’s one of the best defensive shortstops in the game while also showcasing a solid bat.

Atlanta would likely be able to sign the infielder to a team friendly contract, but it would be a bit of a risk. Still, if the risk pays off, the Braves would acquire a steal of a signing.