The Atlanta Braves enter Thursday 46-27 and with a strong hold on the National League East. They are still 6.5 games ahead of the second-place Philadelphia Phillies and are chasing their first division title since 2023.
However, the Braves are still searching for more contributions from one of their biggest additions this past offseason. To bring in more experience in the infield, Atlanta signed shortstop Ha-Seong Kim to a one-year, $20 million contract.
The 30-year-old has struggled to find his footing. He has accumulated four runs scored, five hits and three RBIs in 59 at-bats. Kim is slashing just .085/.182/.085 for a .267 OPS.
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Since making his season debut on May 12, he has appeared in 19 games, starting 18 at shortstop. After losing both doubleheader games against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday, Grant McAuley asked Braves manager Walt Weiss about Kim's struggles. The first-year manager showed support for the six-year veteran.
“There’s no secret sauce or anything to get guys through their struggles,” Weiss said. "I mean, he works every day. We’ve had multiple conversations, and he’s just trying to find his way. It’s been a struggle for him. I’m sure he’s more frustrated than anybody. But I’m going to continue to mix and match and see if he can find his way. You know, the other guys are going to get opportunities, too. That’s all we can do.”
While Weiss is showing faith in Kim, it's clear that fans are at a tipping point. In the first loss on Wednesday, he went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. Chad Bishop of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the shortstop was heckled by fans after his second strikeout.
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If the Braves choose to move Kim around the infield, then second and third base are the only other spots he has experience at. In fact, he won a Gold Glove award in 2023 with the San Diego Padres after racking up 856.2 innings at second.
However, it's not as though he'd be competing for a starting spot at either position. The Braves already have Austin Riley manning third base, while Ozzie Albies is at second base.
