Braves shortstop Ha-Seong Kim arrives at spring training

NORTH PORT, Fla. — For the first time this spring training, Braves shortstop Ha-Seong Kim was in the clubhouse at CoolToday Park.

Kim suffered a finger injury in January and had been rehabbing in Atlanta before arriving in Florida. He joined the club Monday and started doing minimal baseball activities.

“Yes, it’s definitely frustrating, especially because I missed a lot of time last year with the shoulder injury as well. I’m just trying to stay in a positive mindset,” Kim said, through team interpreter David Lee, of starting the season inactive. “I also feel very sorry to the team because of what’s happened and how I’m impacting the team. I’ll try my best to recover as fast as I can and help the team win games.”

Kim said he doesn’t have a timeline for when he’ll return. He had surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right middle finger in January after slipping on ice on the street in Korea.

Not able to swing a bat yet, or throw, Kim did start doing some glove work Monday. The 30-year-old said he has previously been rehabilitating in Atlanta and will continue to “be safe” with the finger.

The recovery process for Kim’s injury initially had him coming off the injured list in May.

“I think it’s possible,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said of Kim being back by then. “But, again, these guys gotta clear all these hurdles before we give ‘em the next one. I think it’ll happen quickly once he’s able to start swinging the bat, throw. But then it’s just about getting into baseball shape.”

The Braves claimed Kim off waivers Sept. 1 from the Rays. He played in 24 games for the Braves, hit .253 with an OPS of .684, drove in 12 runs, drew eight walks and hit three home runs.

Kim tore the labrum in his right shoulder at the end of the 2024 season while playing with the Padres. The Rays signed Kim as a free agent in February of 2025, but then let him go after he appeared in just 24 games and hit .214.

The Braves took a flier on Kim at the end of the ‘25 season, then signed him as a free agent in December to the tune of $20 million for 2026.

“Right when I joined the team in Atlanta, I think that’s when my shoulder really started to feel normal. And I think because my body was feeling better, it gave me the confidence to be better on the field. The results showed,” Kim said. “And obviously the teammates, coaching staff, front office all embraced me when I first came last September. Those factors allowed it to be an easy decision in free agency.”

Added Weiss: “Just an all-around player. He does everything well. He’s a good base runner, he can steal bases, he’s a tough out, there’s some power there, he defends. He’s just a really well-rounded player.”