The Atlanta Braves faced unexpected struggles in 2024, particularly after early injuries to Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr. They never quite bounced back as anticipated. Despite sneaking into the postseason, they were eliminated in the Wild Card round. Looking ahead to the 2025 season, the Braves will need to strengthen their roster or risk falling short once again.
R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports recently speculated that the Braves might take a calculated risk to improve their roster. Anderson suggested that Atlanta could sign San Diego Padres infielder Ha-Seong Kim this offseason, though Kim is recovering from a significant shoulder surgery.
“Kim’s free agency is complicated by the season-ending shoulder surgery he underwent late in the summer that will sideline him for most, if not all of the first half,” Anderson explained. “There are only so many teams willing to invest in a player who they know won’t be available to them for much of the upcoming year. This is total guesswork, but the Braves make sense on a few levels, including upgrading over Orlando Arcia for the stretch run.”
If Kim is fully healthy, he would be a valuable upgrade over Arcia. Known for his strong defense at shortstop and solid offensive production, Kim would be an asset. While the Braves could likely sign him to a team-friendly deal, it would still be a gamble. If the risk pays off, Atlanta could end up with a major bargain.
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