Braves’ $16 million gamble could reset Atlanta to square one in risky unsolved 2026 dilemma originally appeared on The Sporting News
The Atlanta Braves made the decision a couple of weeks ago to select Ha-Seong Kim off waivers. In a short time, it seems he has claimed the starting shortstop spot for Atlanta next season.
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“Atlanta wouldn’t have taken the gamble of claiming Ha-Seong Kim off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays if they weren’t certain that Kim would not opt out of the $16 million remaining in his contract for 2026,” wrote USA Today’s Bob Nightengale on Sunday. “Kim is definitely staying, and Atlanta has its shortstop. How badly is he needed? Atlanta’s shortstops were hitting .217 with a .249 slugging percentage and .524 OPS, easily the worst in baseball, before Kim’s arrival. They had gone the entire season without a homer from their shortstop position until Kim homered.”
However, the ball is still in Kim’s court for next season. If he chooses to hit free agency, Atlanta could be right back to square one.
“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.”
This puts the Braves in a precarious position, as the decision is essentially out of their hands for now. Additionally, Kim could be using this opportunity to negotiate a better contract.
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If the Braves want to secure the position, Chase Irle of Sportstalk ATL believes they might risk offering an extension now. This would add a new dimension to the Kim saga but would lock him down for the foreseeable future. In just a few weeks, Kim has produced more at the shortstop position than Atlanta has seen in recent years.
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