Ha-Seong Kim commented on the injury he suffered this offseason.
The Atlanta Braves re-signed Ha-Seong Kim this offseason to be the starting shortstop in 2026. However, Kim later suffered an injury after slipping on ice. The infielder ultimately underwent surgery in January after injuring his finger, and he is expected to return in May or June if no setbacks occur. During a recent interview, Kim commented on the injury situation, via the Braves.
"I put in a lot of hard-work through the offseason, especially being hurt last year," Kim said, via translator. "I kind of told myself, 'Let's get this body prepped right for a full season.' But unfortunately that didn't really happen with the injury. Obviously I'm kind of bummed about it. But also, what's happened has happened... I'm trying to just focus on moving forward, what's the next step?
"I just can't wait to kind of fully recover from this... The process has been going well, so hopefully sooner than we expected. I'm just looking forward to being back on the field with teammates."
Kim is hopeful that he can return from the injury sooner than expected. The Braves would certainly love it if that could happen. Mauricio Dubon is likely on track to be the Opening Day shortstop, but he is best-suited for a utility role. Atlanta needs a reliable shortstop such as Kim on the field.
Ha-Seong Kim
Kim, 30, spent time with the Tampa Bay Rays and the Braves in 2025. He dealt with injury concerns last season as well, playing in a total of 48 games as a result. His plan this offseason was to build up in preparation of having a healthy regular season, but the offseason injury threw those plans a curveball.
Nevertheless, Kim could still have a productive campaign with Atlanta once he returns from the injury. When healthy, he is a reliable player. The Braves are hopeful he can help them make a postseason run.
In 2023 with the San Diego Padres, Kim finished 14th in National League MVP voting after hitting .260/.351/.398 across 152 games played. He also won a Gold Glove that season.
It is also worth noting that Kim offers defensive versatility, as he can play shortstop, second base or third base. As mentioned, the plan is for Kim to handle shortstop duties once he returns from the injury, but the defensive versatility is still an added bonus.
The Braves will continue to monitor and provide injury updates on Kim as they are made available. For now, they are preparing for spring training, where Dubon will attempt to officially earn the role of the Opening Day shortstop amid Kim's injury.