ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – A potential key piece of the Braves’ lineup is hitting the open market.
Shortstop Ha-Seong Kim on Monday declined his $16 million player option, becoming a free agent.
The Braves picked Kim off waivers in September after he was let go by the Tampa Bay Rays. Kim benefited greatly from the change in scenery. He slashed .214/.290/.321 for a 73 OPS+ in 24 games with the Rays; his slash line jumped to .253/.316/.368 in 24 games with the Braves, good enough for a 93 OPS+.
Despite his below-average hitting stats, Kim was by far the best bat the Braves had at shortstop in 2025. His three home runs were the only three home runs by a Braves shortstop in 2025.
Kim is likely to be the Braves’ primary target for shortstop in 2026. The only other marquee name at shortstop is Bo Bichette, who likely looks to command a higher price than Kim.
The only other shortstop currently on the Braves’ roster is 27-year-old Nick Allen. Allen is currently arbitration-eligible, but is nowhere near the bat that Kim is. Allen proved himself a capable defender with a weak bat, slashing .221/.284/.251.