Shortstop Ha-Seong Kim opts out of Braves contract

The Braves have a shortstop vacancy.

Ha-Seong Kim has opted out of his contract, as expected. Kim passed on a $16 million player option and will test free agency instead.

This long was the anticipated result after Kim enjoyed a fruitful month with the Braves. He had endured a wasted season with the Rays because of injury before the Braves claimed him off waivers in September. They saw it as a trial run with the veteran, whom they liked in the past, ahead of his potential free agency.

Kim, 30, looked healthy in Atlanta. He hit .253/.316/.368 in 24 games and endeared himself to the clubhouse. Shortstop had been a black hole for the Braves at the plate, as neither Orlando Arcia nor Nick Allen could come close to even MLB-average production.

The successful Braves stint made this decision easier.

Kim’s poor Rays tenure — he hit .214 with a .612 OPS in 24 games — will be chalked up to injuries. He had a late start to the campaign because of offseason shoulder surgery, suffered a calf strain after returning and twice landed on the injured list because of his back.

A healthy Kim is presumed to be closer to what he showed with the Braves. He accrued 15.1 bWAR from 2021-24 in San Diego. The total body of work lands in his favor, and with a weak shortstop class, Kim and his agency, Boras Corporation, are primed to earn him a sizable multiyear commitment.

Toronto’s Bo Bichette is viewed as the best shortstop on the market, but his defensive limitations might dictate a move to another position, especially since his next employer likely will give him a long-term deal. That won’t be the case with Kim, who stands as the market’s best clear shortstop.

Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said multiple times publicly that the team would like to retain Kim. The player also shared on several occasions that he felt comfortable with the Braves.

“We made the move to acquire Kim, and I said it at the time, it was attractive that there was potential for beyond ’25,” Anthopoulos said in early October. “There were no guarantees, but there was potential. … There are paths for him to be here, and us getting to know him had tremendous value because we love the player and we’d like to have him back.”

The Braves should have the financial ability to give Kim a reasonable deal. They should also be motivated to do so; there aren’t many appealing alternatives.

Perhaps the Braves could acquire the replacement via trade, but teams aren’t often looking to move well-rounded shortstops. Most contenders appear set at the position, which theoretically could help prevent Kim’s market from exploding (though it takes only one other team to hike up his price).