Braves' $16M 'savvy' waiver-wire claim now expected to leave for free agency in unforeseen twist

Hunter Cookston

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Braves' $16M 'savvy' waiver-wire claim now expected to leave for free agency in unforeseen twist image

The Atlanta Braves are enjoying a rare early offseason before the month of October, and it's shaping up to be full of difficult decisions. One of the biggest questions centers around shortstop Ha-Seong Kim, who was claimed off waivers by the Braves at the end of the season. In just his second game with the team, he did something no other Braves shortstop had accomplished in over a year.

“That 3-run HR from Ha-Seong Kim is the first home run by a Braves shortstop this year ... and the first since Orlando Arcia did it on September 20, 2024 against the Marlins,” 680 The Fan posted.

Kim made an immediate impact, giving the Braves something they’d been missing all season — a productive bat at the shortstop position. But whether he stays in Atlanta beyond this season is still uncertain.

“Because of this thin market, that would incentivise Kim to test the market. For that same reason, it’s even more important that the Braves find a way to retain his services,” SI’s Harrison Smajovits wrote. “If he opts out and signs elsewhere, they could be back to square one with this dilemma. The offense has had its struggles as is, and they have, at least for now, figured out one of the issues.”

At first, it seemed like Atlanta had a solid chance of bringing him back, but concern is growing that Kim will test free agency.

“In a savvy move Anthopoulos claimed Ha-Seong Kim from the Rays to play out the season’s final month with Atlanta. The move came with risk as the often-injured Kim had a player option for $16 million in 2026. However, Kim played so well in his 24 games with Atlanta that him declining that option and testing free agent feels like the road we are headed down,” HTHB’s Chase Owens wrote.

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This is not the kind of uncertainty the Braves were hoping for entering the offseason. Kim filled a clear need at shortstop and reestablished himself as a high-impact player. Now, he’s back on the radar across the league.

The silver lining for Atlanta is that Kim could still be the most affordable shortstop in this year’s free-agent class — which might give the Braves a realistic chance to go all-in to keep him. Still, the concern about losing him is very real.

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Hunter Cookston

Hunter Cookston began his career as a sportswriter for the Marion Tribune, where he covered local high school football, basketball and baseball. His passion for sports started at the age of four when he played his first year of tee ball. Growing up in Tennessee, he developed a deep love for the Tennessee Volunteers and Atlanta Braves. Hunter is currently attending Tennessee Wesleyan University, where he is pursuing a BA in Sports Communications/Management.