Ha-Seong Kim among Braves making lasting impressions, as end of season draws near

Think of the Braves’ current situation as an audition. The club has entered evaluation mode with two weeks left in its calamitous season, and each game provides an opportunity for players to demonstrate why they should — or shouldn’t — be with the team beyond 2025.

Although he dictates his immediate future with a $16 million player option for 2026, Kim could play his way into a longer commitment.

And so far, he’s made a rousing impression.

“Ever since he’s been here, I’ve been really impressed with his total game,” manager Brian Snitker said. “It’s hard to find shortstops like that, so it’s been good to watch him day-in and-day-out.”

Kim is batting .289 with one home run since joining the Braves in early September. That includes Sunday’s 8-3 victory over the Astros, where he finished 3-for-4 with one walk and another RBI.

He has already significantly outperformed the Braves’ previous two shortstops Orlando Arcia and Nick Allen, who combined to hit .219 with no home runs in 393 at-bats prior to his arrival.

“I think the more I play consistently, I’m able to get my feel back,” Kim said. “In terms of movement, I feel good, so I’m on the right track.”

The Braves took a flyer on Kim when they claimed him off waivers from the Rays earlier in the month. The former Gold Glove winner previously signed with Tampa Bay in free agency, but injuries and unproductive at-bats — a .214 average with two home runs across 24 games — left him as an expendable piece. So the Braves, searching for an offensive upgrade, took a chance.

If Kim accepts his player option, he would help solidify a shortstop position that’s been a rotating door since Dansby Swanson walked almost three years ago in free agency. He’s fundamentally sound, which comes from spending five years in the league, and showcases an above-average glove with a little pop in his bat.

Kim’s defensive range fell in the 84th percentile of MLB defenders in 2024 during his last full season, and he’s hit an average of 14 home runs per 162 games in his career. His return would complete a middle infield that could include Ozzie Albies, another player auditioning for his role on the team.

But unlike Kim, Albies’ future is entirely up to the Braves, who hold a $7 million option with a $4 million buyout. Albies has ways to influence the team’s opinion, though, and his recent performance strengthens his case to return.

The second baseman is batting .305 with three home runs over his last 15 games and .293 with seven longballs across his previous 30. That’s all after hitting .227 for the first five months of the season, as he returned from a wrist injury.

“He’s always going to give himself a chance to get it right because he’s not going to panic,” Snitker said. “And he has unbelievable confidence in his abilities and himself as a ballplayer.”

Albies knows how to compartmentalize between his offense, defense and baserunning, so one bad moment will rarely trickle into another element of his game.

“I never give up,” said Albies, who recorded two hits with three RBIs against the Astros on Sunday. “And confidence is key, so you’ve always got to have your confidence up at all times, no matter what’s going on.”

Displaying a strong performance through the final 13 games of the regular season allows players to enter the offseason with a bit of comfort. They do not waste time searching for massive adjustments and can instead focus on ways to improve their fundamentally-sound strategies.

And for the Braves, that final push begins on Monday with a four-game series against the Nationals.