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Ha-Seong Kim

Ha-Seong Kim Could Return In Early May

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Just over a month after signing a one-year, $20MM deal to come back to the club, Braves shortstop Ha-Seong Kim went down with a torn tendon in his finger. The team announced the initial recovery timeline to be four to five months. Kim is trending toward an earlier return. General manager Alex Anthopoulos told reporters, including Mark Bowman of MLB.com, that there’s hope Kim could come back in early May.

Kim popped up as an option on MLBTR’s list of 60-day IL candidates, though he was more of a long shot. Atlanta will likely do what it can to avoid making that move if there’s any chance Kim can be back on the early end of the timeline. The recent update from Anthopoulos makes a 60-day IL placement all the more unlikely.

The Braves scooped up Kim off waivers from Tampa Bay late last season, with the Rays looking to duck the shortstop’s $16MM player option. Atlanta wasn’t able to get Kim back on the player option, but did convince him to sign for an extra $4MM as a free agent. He was set to return as the club’s starting shortstop.

Kim delivered solid production in his final three seasons in San Diego, including a 17-homer, 38-steal season in 2023. He also netted a Gold Glove award that year. Kim then landed in Tampa Bay as a free agent. The Rays gave him a two-year, $29MM deal with an opt-out, despite the fact that Kim was recovering from right shoulder surgery. He played just 24 games with the team.

Atlanta will likely patch together the shortstop position until Kim is healthy. The team acted quickly after the news broke, signing utilityman Jorge Mateo the very next day. Mateo has bounced around defensively in his six-year career, but he’s spent the most time at shortstop (294 appearances). The Braves acquired Mauricio Dubón in a trade with the Astros. Nick Allen, Atlanta’s primary shortstop last season, went the other way in the deal. Dubón is a candidate to mix in at the position. The Braves also re-acquired Brett Wisely as additional infield depth.

Led by the defensive-minded Allen, the Braves finished dead last in OPS at shortstop in 2025. Allen put up a .530 mark in 408 plate appearances. Orlando Arcia, Vidal Bruján, and Luke Williams were even worse. Kim slashed a middling .253/.316/.368 in two dozen games with Atlanta.

Photo courtesy of Jordan Godfree, Imagn Images

Players Who Could Move To The 60-Day IL Once Spring Training Begins

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Most of the clubs in the league currently have a full 40-man roster, which means that just about every transaction requires a corresponding move. Some extra roster flexibility is on the way, however. The 60-day injured list goes away five days after the World Series but comes back when pitchers and catchers report to spring training.

Most clubs have a slightly earlier report date this year due to the World Baseball Classic. Last year, the Cubs and Dodgers had earlier report dates because they were had an earlier Opening Day than everyone else as part of the Tokyo Series. Gavin Stone was the first player to land on the 60-day IL in 2025, landing there on February 11th. According to MLB.com, every club has a report date from February 10th to 13th this year.

It’s worth pointing out that the 60 days don’t start being counted until Opening Day. Although a team can transfer a player to the 60-day IL quite soon, they will likely only do so if they aren’t expecting the player back until late May or beyond. A team also must have a full 40-man roster in order to move a player to the 60-day IL.

There are still plenty of free agents still out there, including big names like Framber Valdez, Zac Gallen, Justin Verlander, Chris Bassitt, Lucas Giolito, and more. Perhaps the extra roster flexibility will spur some deals to come together. It could also increase the ability of some clubs to make waiver claims or small trades for players who have been designated for assignment. If a team wants to pass a player through waivers, perhaps they will try to do so in the near future before the extra roster flexibility opens up.

Here are some players who are expected to miss some significant time or who have uncertain recovery timelines from 2025 injuries.

Angels: Anthony Rendon, Ben Joyce

Rendon’s situation is unique. He underwent hip surgery a year ago and missed the entire 2025 season. He is still on the roster and signed through 2026. He and the club have agreed to a salary-deferment plan and he is not expected to be in spring training with the club. His recovery timeline is unclear, but general manager Perry Minasian said earlier this month that Rendon would be “rehabbing at home,” per Alden González of ESPN. If they were going to release him, they likely would have done so by now, so he seems destined for the injured list.

Joyce underwent shoulder surgery in May and missed the remainder of the 2025 season. His current status is unclear. In August, he told Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register that he didn’t know if he would be ready for spring training. He would only land on the 60-day IL if the Halos don’t expect him back before the end of May.

Astros: Hayden Wesneski, Ronel Blanco, Brandon Walter

All three of these pitchers underwent Tommy John surgery in 2025. Wesneski was first, with his surgery taking place on May 23rd. Blanco followed shortly thereafter in early June. They will likely be targeting returns in the second half. Walter’s procedure was in September, meaning he will likely miss the entire season. All three should be on the 60-day IL as soon as Houston needs roster spots for other transactions.

Athletics: Zack Gelof

Gelof underwent surgery to repair a dislocated shoulder in September, with the expectation of him potentially being healthy for spring training. At the end of December, general manager David Forst told Martín Gallegos of MLB.com that Gelof would be “a little bit behind” in spring. He would only land on the 60-day IL if the A’s think he’ll be out through late May.

Blue Jays: Jake Bloss

Bloss underwent surgery on the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow in May. He was on optional assignment at the time and stayed in the minors for the rest of the season. Going into 2026, the Jays could keep him in the minors but they could also call him up and place him on the major league IL. Doing so would open up a roster spot but would also mean giving Bloss big league pay and service time.

Braves: Ha-Seong Kim, AJ Smith-Shawver, Danny Young, Joe Jiménez

Kim recently fell on some ice and injured his hand. He underwent surgery last week, and the expected recovery time is four to five months. The shorter end of that window only goes to mid-May, so perhaps Atlanta will hold off on making a decision until they watch his recovery, especially since they have other guys with clearer injury timelines.

Smith-Shawver underwent Tommy John surgery in June, so he shouldn’t be back until the second half and is therefore a lock for the 60-day IL once Atlanta needs a spot. Young underwent the same procedure in May, so he should also be bound for the IL.

Jimenez is more of a question mark. He missed the 2025 season due to left knee surgery. He required a “cleanup” procedure on that knee towards the end of the season. His timeline isn’t currently clear.

Brewers: None.

Cardinals: None.

Cubs: Justin Steele

Steele will probably be a bit of a borderline case. He underwent UCL surgery in April but it wasn’t a full Tommy John surgery. The Cubs described it as a “revision repair”. Steele had undergone Tommy John in 2017 as a minor leaguer.

Since Steele’s more recent procedure was a bit less serious than a full Tommy John, the club gave an estimated return timeline of about one year, putting him in line to potentially return fairly early in 2026. Given his importance to the Cubs, they would only put him on the 60-day IL if his timeline changes and he’s certain to be out through late May.

Diamondbacks: Corbin Burnes, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., A.J. Puk, Justin Martínez, Blake Walston, Tyler Locklear

The Snakes were hit hard by the injury bug in 2025. Burnes, Walston and Martínez all underwent Tommy John surgery. Burnes and Martínez had their procedures in June, so they should be targeting second-half returns and be easy calls for the 60-day IL. Walston would be a bit more borderline because his surgery was around Opening Day in late March last year. Puk had the slightly less significant internal brace procedure in June, so he could also be a borderline case.

Turning to the position players, Gurriel tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in September. He required surgery which came with a return timeline of nine to ten months, so he should be out until around the All-Star break.

Locklear should be back sooner. He underwent surgery in October to address a ligament tear in his elbow and a labrum injury in his shoulder. The hope at the time of that procedure was that he would be game ready to go on a rehab assignment around Opening Day and would therefore miss only about the first month. He would therefore only hit the 60-day IL if he doesn’t meet that timeline for some reason.

Dodgers: Brock Stewart

Stewart underwent shoulder debridement surgery in September. His timeline for 2026 isn’t especially clear. He will likely start the season on the IL but it’s unclear if he’ll be out long enough to warrant landing on the 60-day version.

Giants: Randy Rodríguez, Jason Foley

Rodríguez underwent Tommy John surgery in September, so he’s a lock for the 60-day IL and might even miss the entire 2026 campaign. Foley’s status is a bit more murky. He underwent shoulder surgery in May while with the Tigers. Detroit non-tendered him at season’s end, which allowed the Giants to sign him. He is expected back at some point mid-season. The Giants may want to get more clarity on his progress during camp before deciding on a move to the IL.

Guardians: Andrew Walters, David Fry

Neither of these guys is a lock for the 60-day IL. Walters had surgery to repair his right lat tendon in June with a recovery estimate of eight to ten months. Fry underwent surgery in October due to a deviated septum and a fractured nose suffered when a Tarik Skubal pitch hit him in the face. His timeline is unclear. It’s possible one or both could be healthy by Opening Day, so relevant updates may be forthcoming when camps open.

Mariners: Logan Evans

Evans required UCL surgery just last week and will miss the entire 2026 season. He was on optional assignment at the end of 2025, so the Mariners could keep him in the minors. Calling him up and putting him on the big league 60-day IL would open up a 40-man spot but would also involve Evans receiving big league pay and service time for the year.

Marlins: Ronny Henriquez

Henriquez underwent internal brace surgery in December and will miss the entire 2026 season, so he’s a lock for the 60-day IL.

Mets: Tylor Megill, Reed Garrett, Dedniel Núñez

All three of these pitchers underwent Tommy John surgery late in 2025 and are likely to miss the entire 2026 season, making them locks for the 60-day IL. Núñez went under the knife in July, followed by Megill in September and Garrett in October.

Nationals: Trevor Williams, DJ Herz

Williams underwent internal brace surgery in July. That’s a slightly less serious variation of Tommy John but still usually requires about a year of recovery. Herz underwent a full Tommy John procedure in April. Since that surgery usually requires 14 months or longer to come back, both pitchers are likely out until around the All-Star break and therefore bound for the 60-day IL once the Nats need some roster spots.

Orioles: Félix Bautista

Bautista underwent shoulder surgery in August, and the club announced his recovery timeline as 12 months. He’s a lock for the 60-day IL and may miss the entire season if his recovery doesn’t go smoothly.

Padres: Yu Darvish, Jhony Brito, Jason Adam

Darvish underwent UCL surgery in November and will miss the entire 2026 season. Instead of going on the IL, he may just retire, but it seems there are some contractual complications to be ironed out since he is signed through 2028.

Brito and Adam could be borderline cases. Brito underwent internal brace surgery in May of last year. Some pitchers can return from that procedure in about a year. Adam ruptured a tendon in his left quad in early September. In November, he seemed to acknowledge that he wouldn’t be ready for Opening Day. As of now, a trip to the 60-day IL seems unlikely unless he suffers a setback.

Pirates: Jared Jones

Jones required UCL surgery on May 21st of last year. The Bucs announced an expected return timeline of 10 to 12 months. The shorter end of that window would allow Jones to return fairly early in 2026. If it looks like he’ll be on the longer end of that time frame, he could wind up on the 60-day IL.

Phillies: Zack Wheeler

Wheeler underwent surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome in September, with a timeline of six to eight months. As of now, it seems unlikely Wheeler would require a trip to the 60-day IL, but it depends on how his ramp-up goes. He’s also approaching his 36th birthday, and the Phils could slow-play his recovery.

Rangers: Cody Bradford

Bradford required internal brace surgery in late June of last year. He recently said he’s targeting a return in May. That’s a pretty aggressive timeline, but perhaps the Rangers will delay moving him to the 60-day IL until that plan is strictly ruled out.

Rays: Manuel Rodríguez

Rodriguez underwent flexor tendon surgery in July of last year and is targeting a return in June of this year, so he should be a lock for the 60-day IL.

Reds: Brandon Williamson, Julian Aguiar

Both of these pitchers required Tommy John surgeries late in 2024, Williamson in September and Aguiar in October. They each missed the entire 2025 season. Presumably, they are recovered by now and could be healthy going into 2026, but there haven’t been any recent public updates.

Red Sox: Tanner Houck, Triston Casas

Houck is the most clear-cut case for Boston. He had Tommy John surgery in August of 2025 and will miss most or perhaps all of the 2026 season. Casas is more borderline. He’s still recovering from a ruptured left patellar tendon suffered in May of last year. It doesn’t seem like he will be ready by Opening Day, but his timeline apart from that is murky.

Rockies: Jeff Criswell, Kris Bryant

Criswell required Tommy John surgery in early March of last year. With the normal 14-month recovery timeline, he could be back in May. Anything slightly longer than that would make him a candidate for the 60-day IL. Bryant’s timeline is very difficult to discern. He has hardly played in recent years due to various injuries and is now dealing with chronic symptoms related to lumbar degenerative disc disease. Updates will likely be provided once camp opens.

Royals: Alec Marsh

Marsh missed 2025 due to shoulder problems and is slated to miss 2026 as well after undergoing labrum surgery in November.

Tigers: Jackson Jobe

Jobe required Tommy John surgery in June of last year. He will miss most or perhaps even all of the 2026 season.

Twins: None.

White Sox: Ky Bush, Drew Thorpe, Prelander Berroa

These three hurlers all required Tommy John surgery about a year ago, Bush in February, followed by Berroa and Thorpe in March. Given the normal 14-month recovery period, any of them could return early in 2026, but they could also end up on the 60-day IL if the timeline pushes slightly beyond that.

Yankees: Clarke Schmidt, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Anthony Volpe

Schmidt is the only lock of this group. He required UCL surgery in July of last year and should miss the first half of the 2026 season. Cole is recovering from Tommy John surgery performed in March of last year. His target is expected to be late May/early June, so he has a decent chance to hit the 60-day. However, given his importance to the club, the Yankees probably won’t put him there until it’s certain he won’t be back by the middle of May.

Rodón had surgery in October to remove loose bodies in his elbow. He’s expected to be back with the big league club in late April or early May, so he would only hit the 60-day IL if his timeline is pushed. Volpe required shoulder surgery in October. He’s not expected to be ready by Opening Day, but his timeline beyond that doesn’t seem concrete.

Photo courtesy of Allan Henry, Imagn Images

Ha-Seong Kim Out Four To Five Months Following Hand Surgery

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The Braves announced this afternoon that infielder Ha-Seong Kim suffered a hand injury while in South Korea and underwent surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right middle finger. The procedure was performed today in Atlanta and the expected recovery time is 4 to 5 months, per the announcement. MLB.com’s Mark Bowman reports that Kim suffered the injury after falling on ice.

It’s a brutal revelation for the Braves, who claimed Kim off waivers from the Rays back in September in hopes of luring him to Atlanta for the 2026 season as well. While he opted out of his player option for the 2026 campaign, he eventually re-signed with the Braves on a one-year, $20MM deal back in December. Bringing Kim back into the fold was one of their biggest splashes this winter, alongside the addition of Robert Suarez to the back of the bullpen. Kim also figured to address perhaps the biggest weakness of their entire roster; the team’s 54 wRC+ at shortstop last year was dead last in the majors, and their 0.4 fWAR at the position bested only the Guardians and Rockies. When healthy, Kim is a reliable three-to-four win player thanks to his roughly league average bat and phenomenal defense.

Unfortunately, “when healthy” is becoming an increasingly key phrase when discussing Kim’s career. He suffered a torn labrum in his right shoulder in August of 2024 that brought his time with the Padres to an abrupt end, leaving him sidelined for the stretch run and the Padres’ efforts to get past the eventual World Champion Dodgers in a hotly contested NLDS that San Diego ultimately lost in five. The Rays had enough faith in his talent to sign Kim to a two-year guarantee last winter, even knowing that he would miss the first few months of the season while rehabbing from surgery on his aforementioned torn labrum. That gamble did not pay off. Kim didn’t make his Rays debut until after the All-Star break last year as recovery from surgery took longer than expected, and he wound up heading back to the injured list multiple times due to back and calf injuries.

Kim seemed like a lock to pick up his 2026 player option when he was claimed off waivers by Atlanta, but a solid showing in 24 September games with the Braves convinced him to test the market. That proved to be a savvy decision, as the Braves ultimately brought him back on a higher salary than he would’ve made had he simply accepted his $16MM option. While the deal cost Atlanta an extra $4MM, it was easy to see why they’d be willing to make that bet on a player with Kim’s talent, particularly given their needs at shortstop and the thin market around the rest of the roster. Kim could certainly help to rejuvenate what was a sluggish offense last year by providing a massive upgrade over incumbent shortstop Nick Allen, who was traded to Houston earlier this winter.

They’ll now have to wait to feel that impact until near the end of the first half, at the earliest. The early end of Kim’s recovery timeline would put him back on the field in mid-May, but he well might need extra time to ramp up after missing all of Spring Training and spending much of last year on the injured list as well. In the meantime, the Braves have utility man Mauricio Dubon to turn to as their everyday shortstop. Dubon is miscast as an everyday regular but should be a decent enough fill-in option. Losing his versatile glove from the bench puts pressure on the rest of the roster, and an Atlanta offense that looked generally complete this morning could now clearly use another addition, even if that player is just a depth option.

Bringing someone like Isiah Kiner-Falefa into the fold would certainly help stabilize things, but after the Braves scaled their payroll up by nearly $50MM this winter (according to RosterResource) with the additions of Kim, Suarez, and Mike Yastrzemski it’s hard to say if there’s room in the budget for even that sort of mid-level signing. The market for shortstop help is exceedingly thin at this point, but perhaps a depth signing like Jorge Mateo could help fill out the roster until Kim returns. Of course, president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos is known for his creativity and could look to explore the trade market for help. Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner has been widely discussed in trade rumors this winter, particularly after the club’s recent signing of Alex Bregman, and has played shortstop well in the past. The Mets have a cadre of infield talent that’s been squeezed out by the Bo Bichette deal, but it’s unclear if the team would be willing to trade someone like Ronny Mauricio or Luisangel Acuna within the division.

MLBTR Podcast: The Mets Sign Jorge Polanco, And The Braves, Blue Jays And Royals Make Moves

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

Check out our past episodes!

  • Winter Meetings Recap – listen here
  • An Agent’s Perspective with B.B. Abbott – Also, Cease, Williams, Helsley, And Gray – listen here
  • Some “Classic Baseball Trades,” Nimmo For Semien, And Ward For Rodriguez – listen here

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff.  Check out their Facebook page here!

Photo courtesy of Nick Turchiaro, Imagn Images

A’s Made Four-Year Offer To Ha-Seong Kim

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Ha-Seong Kim is back in Atlanta after signing a $20MM deal to remain the club’s starting shortstop. He took a one-year contract that’ll allow him to get back to free agency after what he hopes to be a healthy season. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported last night that Kim had declined multi-year offers.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic writes that the A’s proposed a four-year, $48MM deal. It’s unclear if that would have included any opt-out opportunities, though it seems safe to assume they wouldn’t have risked a four-year commitment that allowed him to opt out after just one season. The A’s have a franchise shortstop in Jacob Wilson but are looking for second and/or third base help.

Kim bet on himself with a straight one-year deal at a higher rate. Gleyber Torres accepted a qualifying offer, while Jorge Polanco commanded $20MM annually on a two-year contract from the Mets. The A’s certainly aren’t going to sign Bo Bichette or Alex Bregman to contracts north of $150MM. Rosenthal writes that NPB stars Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto are also expected to be out of their price range. Eugenio Suárez might be a long shot, as he command a similar annual salary to Kim and Polanco over two or three years.

There’s a significant drop from there in free agency. Willi Castro, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Yoán Moncada, Luis Rengifo and KBO hitter Sung-mun Song are all one-year deal candidates. Song and Castro are probably the best bets to command a multi-year contract. The former at least comes with some intrigue as an upside play after consecutive strong seasons in Korea, but scouting reports raise questions about his pure hitting ability. The market for Song has been quiet publicly, but he’ll need to sign by Sunday or stay with the KBO’s Kiwoom Heroes for the ’26 season.

The second base trade market has gotten more attention. Ketel Marte and Brendan Donovan are the prizes, but the A’s aren’t great fits in either case. Marte’s six-year, $102.5MM contract is well below market value but would easily be the largest deal in A’s history. Donovan is affordable for any team, but the Cardinals are prioritizing controllable starting pitching. The A’s have a few talented arms (e.g. Luis Morales, Jacob Lopez, Braden Nett) who might appeal to St. Louis, but a lack of rotation depth is already the roster’s biggest flaw.

The Rays are open to offers on Brandon Lowe, who’ll make $11.5MM in the final year of his contract. Rosenthal writes that Tampa Bay isn’t interested in accepting a lowball offer merely to shed the salary. President of baseball operations Erik Neander said at the Winter Meetings that the Rays would be happy carrying Lowe and Yandy Díaz into the season. The Mets are shopping Jeff McNeil, but they’d probably need to eat a portion of the $17.75MM remaining on his deal. Impending free agents Nico Hoerner and Jazz Chisholm Jr. have come up loosely in trade rumors yet seem unlikely to move.

Speculatively speaking, Jake Cronenworth could be a potential fit. The Padres owe him $12MM annually through 2030. That’s a year longer than the A’s were willing to go on Kim but matches the average annual value they offered over four. A willingness to spend $12MM per season on Kim doesn’t necessarily mean they’d do the same for Cronenworth, who is a superior hitter but not as good a defender. Still, the Padres have looked for ways to clear payroll space to free money for their own rotation needs, so it’d make sense for the teams to explore trade scenarios.

Braves Re-Sign Ha-Seong Kim

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The Braves are bringing back Ha-Seong Kim on a one-year, $20MM contract, per a club announcement. The team designated right-hander Osvaldo Bido for assignment to open the necessary 40-man roster spot. Kim, a Boras Corporation client, had declined a $16MM player option and earns a $4MM raise to return as Atlanta’s starting shortstop.

Kim spent the final month of the 2025 season with the Braves. They claimed him off waivers from the Rays, who were happy to get out from under the player option. Atlanta was long since buried in the playoff picture. The move was solely about building a relationship with Kim in the hope that he’d return next year. They preferred it’d be on the player option but felt that a few weeks within the clubhouse might give them an edge in re-signing him even if he opted out.

The righty-hitting Kim made a solid impression on his new club. He reeled off a 10-game hitting streak in the middle of September and recorded at least one knock in 15 of his first 19 contests. Kim finished in a 1-19 skid over his final five games, dropping him to a middling .253/.316/.368 line in 98 plate appearances. That was still quite a bit better than the .214/.290/.321 mark he’d put up in a similar amount of playing time over an injury-riddled few months in Tampa Bay.

Overall, Kim is coming off a .234/.304/.345 slash in 48 games. The Braves certainly feel that’s not representative of his true talent. Kim had been an above-average everyday player with the Padres between 2022-24. He was a slightly better than average hitter who played plus defense throughout the infield. Kim’s time in San Diego ended when he tore the labrum in his right shoulder diving into first base on a pickoff attempt in August ’24. He required surgery that led the Padres to opt against issuing him a qualifying offer.

The Rays surprisingly won the bidding for Kim last offseason, signing him to a two-year, $29MM deal with an opt-out. It was always a baffling move for a low-payroll club. The Rays signed Kim to a $13MM salary for the first season despite knowing he was unlikely to be a factor until a few months into the year. He didn’t make his season debut until shortly before the All-Star Break. Calf and back issues resulted in subsequent minimal injured list stays. While the Rays managed to offload the final few weeks of Kim’s salaries thanks to the waiver claim, they still paid a little more than $11MM for 24 games of replacement level production.

Kim should enter the 2026 season at full health. While his results were down this year, he posted career-high marks in average exit velocity and hard contact rate. That seems to bode well for his shoulder strength, at least in the batter’s box. There may be a little more cause for concern on defense. Kim’s arm strength was down around four miles per hour this past season, according to Statcast. His arm was closer to average than the plus weapon it had been in prior years, though it hasn’t dropped to a point where the team would have any concerns about his viability on the left side of the infield. Even the post-injury version of Kim threw harder on average than Mookie Betts, Corey Seager or Taylor Walls — all of whom were Gold Glove finalists at shortstop in 2025.

The Braves aren’t the only team that viewed Kim as a solid rebound candidate. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that the 30-year-old rebuffed interest from clubs willing to go multiple years in order to get back to the market next winter. The Tigers were the only other team publicly linked to Kim this offseason, though clubs like the Giants and Pirates are known to be pursuing infield help. MLBTR had predicted Kim would receive a two-year, $30MM contract with an opt-out after the first season. He opts for the straight one-year deal at a higher salary to bet on himself.

Kim slots back in as Atlanta’s everyday shortstop. That’ll push trade pickup Mauricio Dubón into a utility role. The Braves were unable to make Kim a qualifying offer this offseason because they’d acquired him during the season. Assuming they don’t trade him midseason, they would have the ability to make the QO next winter. That’d entitle them to draft compensation if he plays well enough to reject and sign elsewhere.

Atlanta has been one of the most aggressive teams in the first couple months of free agency. Kim joins Robert Suarez, Raisel Iglesias and Mike Yastrzemski as significant free agent pickups. They took on Dubón’s final arbitration season, which costs $6.1MM. They have more than $245MM in guaranteed commitments for next season. They’re already well beyond this year’s approximate $208MM Opening Day mark.

The Kim signing also pushes them beyond the $244MM base luxury tax threshold, as calculated by RosterResource. They’re at roughly $255MM in CBT obligations. Atlanta had paid the luxury tax in 2023 and ’24 but stayed below the line this year. That reset their payor status going into 2026. They’re taxed at a 20% rate on their first $20MM above the line. For the moment, they have a minimal tax payment (roughly $2.2MM). That figures to climb throughout the offseason and into next year. The Braves still need to solidify a rotation that had been wrecked by injuries, and they’re certainly hoping to find themselves in position to add around the trade deadline.

With Kim staying at Truist Park, the shortstop market is essentially down to top free agent Bo Bichette. Depth types Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Willi Castro are the next-best options in free agency. There aren’t any obvious trade candidates at the position, which played into Atlanta’s decision to acquire a utilityman in Dubón to give them cover in case Kim priced himself out of their comfort zone.

Jon Heyman of The New York Post first reported that the Braves were re-signing Kim to a $20MM contract, which The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal specified was for one year. Image courtesy of Jordan Godfree, Imagn Images.

Tigers Interested In Ha-Seong Kim

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The Tigers are interested in free agent infielder Ha-Seong Kim, reports Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. It was reported last week that the Tigers have renewed interest in free agent Alex Bregman, though Petzold reports this week that the club’s interest in Bregman has been lukewarm so far this offseason.

Kim would be a very different addition than Bregman. Kim’s ability to play multiple positions is nice but Bregman would be a much better surefire upgrade in the 2026 season. Bregman spent 2025 with the Red Sox and slashed .273/.360/.462 for a 125 wRC+, roughly in line with his career numbers. He also received solid grades for his third base defense. FanGraphs credited him with 3.5 wins above replacement even though injuries limited him to just 114 games. He had been a 4-6 WAR player in the previous three seasons and would have been in that range again in 2025 with a bit more health.

There would be much more uncertainty with Kim. He was once capable of 3-5 WAR seasons a few years ago, mostly based on his defense. From 2022 to 2024, he hit .250/.336/.385 for a 106 wRC+. He stole 72 bases and got strong marks for his glovework at second base, third base and shortstop. He was credited with 10.5 fWAR over those three seasons.

However, he required shoulder surgery at the end of 2024 and didn’t bounce back in 2025. He only got into 48 games with a tepid .234/.304/.345 line and 82 wRC+. In his 361 shortstop innings, he was given a minus-3 grade by both Defensive Runs Saved and Outs Above Average. His arm strength was only in the 45th percentile, according to Statcast, after being closer to 70th in his previous seasons.

Bregman is a more reliable upgrade for any team needing infield help but that should also be reflected in the eventual contracts for both players. MLBTR predicted Bregman could secure a $160MM deal over six years, whereas Kim was pegged for $30MM over two years.

The Tigers were willing to give Bregman a deal in range of that prediction last winter. They reportedly put a six-year, $171.5MM deal on the table, though with some deferrals knocking down the net present value. Bregman instead went to the Red Sox on a three-year, $120MM deal, though there were also notable deferrals in that pact. He had opt-outs after each season of his Boston deal and took the first one.

There are some reasons the Tigers may be less willing to do that kind of long-term deal now, one year later. The left side of their infield is still fairly open, with multi-positional guys like Javier Báez, Zach McKinstry, Colt Keith, Trey Sweeney and Jace Jung in the mix. However, shortstop prospect Kevin McGonigle is now lurking more than he was a season ago.

The 37th overall pick from the 2023 draft, McGonigle finished his 2024 season with 14 games in High-A and still seemed far away from the big leagues. In 2025, he tore through High-A and was promoted to Double-A, getting into 46 games at the latter level. He hit 12 home runs there and slashed .254/.369/.550 for a 162 wRC+. Basically every outlet now considers him one of the top three prospects in the game. He’s still just 21 years old and isn’t on the 40-man yet but he could be in Triple-A and pushing for a big league tryout in 2026.

If McGonigle is the long-term answer at short, perhaps the Tigers would opt for more of a short-term addition in Kim. On the other hand, despite the huge praise for his bat, some prospect evaluators feel McGonigle is stretched at short and doesn’t have the arm strength for third. If he is destined for second base, he could take over for Gleyber Torres there after 2026, as Torres is on a one-year deal. In that scenario, the Tigers would still be left with a hodgepodge of utility guys like Báez, McKinstry and Keith covering shortstop and third. With 2026 set to be the final year with Tarik Skubal, there’s an argument that’s Detroit should be more all-in and make the best short-term upgrade it can.

The position player market is expected to heat up now that Kyle Schwarber is reportedly going back to the Phillies. Kim’s market has been relatively quiet so far. He has been connected to Atlanta, who claimed him off waivers late in 2025. But he opted out of that deal, walking away from a $16MM player option. Atlanta then pivoted to acquire Mauricio Dubón from the Astros. That’s not expected to stop them from signing Kim but they have a better fallback plan now. As for Bregman, the Red Sox are interested in bringing him back but the Cubs appear to be involved as well.

Photo courtesy of Jordan Godfree, Imagn Images

Braves Focused On Shortstop, Rotation Early In Offseason

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There’s not a whole lot of mystery surrounding the Braves’ offseason needs. Ha-Seong Kim declining his player option leaves them back at square one at shortstop. They need more depth in a rotation that was battered by injury. They’re potentially losing three high-leverage relievers (Raisel Iglesias, Pierce Johnson and Tyler Kinley) to free agency.

President of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said on Tuesday that starting pitching and shortstop will take precedence early in the offseason. “We’re going to focus on those spots,” he told reporters (relayed by David O’Brien of The Athletic). “We’ll see where those lead us, what the acquisition costs are and all that, and then we’ll turn our attention to the bullpen.”

The Braves more or less telegraphed that course of action when they declined their club options on Johnson and Kinley. The latter was particularly surprising, as Kinley could have been retained for $5.5MM. That seemed a bargain price for a pitcher who’d turned in a 0.72 ERA over 25 innings after a deadline deal with the Rockies. Johnson seemed a slightly easier cut given his rocky finish to the season, but he’d still been a generally effective high-leverage arm over two and a half seasons with the Braves.

Cutting Kinley and Johnson saved the Braves $11.5MM. Another $16MM came off the books once Kim opted out. Some of that is offset by raises for Ronald Acuña Jr., Spencer Strider, Aaron Bummer and Reynaldo López. The Braves have $176.5MM committed to 12 players, though they’re likely to have one of the sport’s lightest arbitration classes. Dylan Lee and Nick Allen might be the only two arbitration-eligible players whom they tender contracts, and they’d project for less than $4MM between the two of them.

The Braves opened last season with a player payroll around $208MM. They should have a decent amount of spending capacity to at least make middle-tier free agent additions akin to last winter’s Jurickson Profar pickup. Their claim of Kim in the first place indicated they were willing to pay him $16MM. He’s presumably still their main target at shortstop, where there simply aren’t many alternatives.

Bo Bichette is the only other free agent regular at the position. He’d obviously be far more expensive than Kim would. The trade market looks barren, especially if the Nationals don’t want to trade CJ Abrams to a division rival. Maybe there’ll be a long shot trade option like J.P. Crawford or Ezequiel Tovar, but the likelier outcome is that the Braves would either need to stick with Allen or trade for a similarly low-upside stopgap if they don’t get a Kim deal done.

The rotation currently projects as Sale, Strider, López, Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep. That’d be an excellent group if all five pitchers made 30+ starts, but that’s not realistic. All but Waldrep missed time last season. López made just one start before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery. Schwellenbach broke his elbow and missed the second half. Sale is going into his age-37 season. Grant Holmes may or may not be able to pitch through an elbow sprain. The Braves can’t run things back with only Bryce Elder, Didier Fuentes, and maybe Alek Manoah as their depth arms.

Atlanta has not spent big on free agent pitching under Anthopoulos (though they reportedly made a run at Aaron Nola before he re-signed with Philadelphia on a seven-year deal). Could that change this offseason? Georgia native Dylan Cease, Framber Valdez, Michael King and Zac Gallen are among the more notable free agent starters available.

Luke Weaver and Brad Keller are candidates for the mid-tier “reliever to starter” conversion contract which the Braves tried with López. The Braves have one of the weakest farm systems in MLB, which would put them at a disadvantage in a bidding war for a top controllable trade candidate like Joe Ryan. They could accommodate a decent-sized salary on the trade market, though, which perhaps brings someone like Sonny Gray, Luis Severino, Robbie Ray or Jack Flaherty into play if they’re looking for a mid-rotation source of innings.

Emphasizing the rotation and shortstop could leave them looking for cheaper bullpen targets later in the winter. Lee, Bummer and Joe Jiménez (who missed all of last season rehabbing knee surgery) are their top internal options at the back end. They’ll need to add at least one right-hander who can pitch in leverage spots while overhauling the middle innings group.

MLBTR Podcast: Offseason Preview Megapod: Top Trade Candidates

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams and Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

Check out our past episodes!

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff.  Check out their Facebook page here!

Photo courtesy of Jeff Curry, Imagn Images

Ha-Seong Kim Opts Out Of Braves Deal

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Middle infielder Ha-Seong Kim is opting out of his deal with the Braves, reports Jon Heyman of The New York Post. He passes on a $16MM salary to return to the open market.

It’s a disappointing but not entirely unexpected development for Atlanta. The Braves claimed Kim off waivers from the Rays at the beginning of September. They weren’t competing but hoped to lock in their starting shortstop for the ’26 season. They instead wound up taking on the remaining $2MM of Kim’s 2025 salary for the final month of a lost season.

Maybe that’ll still turn out to be a worthwhile decision. President of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said in September he hoped that getting Kim acclimated with the Atlanta organization and clubhouse would give them a leg up even if the infielder decided to head back to free agency. They’ll certainly make an effort to bring him back, but Nick Allen is atop the depth chart at shortstop for the time being.

For the second straight winter, Kim hits free agency with significant questions. He had an outside shot at a nine-figure deal over the 2024-25 offseason until he suffered a labrum tear in his right shoulder in August. Kim required season-ending surgery, leading the Padres to decline to issue him a qualifying offer. He signed a two-year deal with the Rays that guaranteed $29MM and allowed him to retest the market after one year.

Kim’s rehab from the shoulder procedure carried into July. He’d wind up going back on the injured list twice more as he battled lower back issues. Those stints were brief, but his time in Tampa Bay consisted of 24 games with a .214/.290/.321 batting line. It’s certainly not what the Rays wanted for what amounted to nearly $11MM on their part. They were happy to shed the contract in the final month, getting them off the hook for the ’26 option.

The brief stint in Atlanta was a little more encouraging. Kim played 24 games with the Braves. He hit three homers with a .253/.316/.368 slash in 98 trips to the plate. That included a 10-game hit streak in the middle of September, though he recorded only two hits in 25 plate appearances in the final week of the season. He concluded with a .234/.304/.345 line across 191 trips to the plate.

Kim’s camp nevertheless feels he’ll be able to find a multi-year contract that is preferable to the $16MM option. They’ll be aided by the lack of middle infield alternatives on the open market. Assuming Trevor Story doesn’t opt out of the two years and $55MM remaining on his contract with Boston, Kim would be the second-best free agent shortstop after Bo Bichette.

He’ll hit the market without any draft compensation, as the Braves are not permitted to make a qualifying offer because he changed teams midseason. Kim could try to max out on a three-year deal or look for another two-year pact with an opt-out similar to the one he got from Tampa Bay. His old team in San Diego could look for a shortstop to push Xander Bogaerts back to second base. The Giants, Tigers, Royals, Pirates and Brewers are other clubs that look for help at one or both middle infield positions.

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