Atlanta Braves shortstop Ha-Seong Kim is currently dealing with a finger injury. While it was initially reported that Kim could return in May or June, a recent report suggests he may be ahead of schedule. Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said Kim could return in early May, per Mark Bowman of MLB.com.

While May was mentioned in the initial return timeline, it seemed more likely that it would be in the middle of the month, if not later. This update suggests Kim may be a week or two ahead of schedule. 

This is important for multiple reasons. The sooner he returns the better, of course. Additionally, there is the question of who will play shortstop?

If Kim was expected to be out until June, one has to wonder if Atlanta would consider bringing in another shortstop. A two or three month regular season absence may have led Atlanta to make a move. 

If Kim is only going to miss a little over a month, however, the Braves may be content with Mauricio Dubon handling shortstop duties amid Kim's injury absence. 

Still, the early May injury timeline is not official. It is simply an optimistic outlook on the timeline. The Braves will continue to provide updates as they are available. 

Injuries were a problem for the Braves last year. They have continued to give the ball club trouble already this year, as spring training has yet to officially begin. 

In addition to Ha-Seong Kim, Spencer Schwellenbach and Sean Murphy are among the players battling injury trouble. Schwellenbach is expected to miss a significant amount of time, while Murphy may also be able to return in May. 

Atlanta features an all-around talented roster. The idea of the Braves competing in 2026 after their forgettable 2025 campaign is realistic. However, they will need to find a way to avoid letting the injury bug completely take over.

Are injuries going to occur? Yes, it is the unfortunate reality of sports. Every team deals with them. The Braves are hopeful that they will not have to deal with as many injuries as they did a season ago, though.

If this ball club can have a healthier overall campaign, the playoffs will be a legitimate possibility. Ha-Seong Kim's potential earlier return will only help as Atlanta looks to play competitive baseball during the upcoming 2026 season.