San Diego Padres infielder Ha-Seong Kim is one of the most intriguing free agents of the entire offseason. While Kim's incredibly talented and one of the best infield defenders in the league, he's coming off major shoulder surgery.
Even though he's coming off surgery, the infield class is so thin that Kim may still land a decent-sized contract.
Ryan Finkelstein of Just Baseball recently predicted Kim to leave San Diego and sign a $60 million deal with the Atlanta Braves.
"One of the most versatile free agents in this class, Ha-Seong Kim is an elite defender, who could slot in as a team's starting shortstop, or continue to thrive in a super-utility role," Finkelstein wrote. "Kim did undergo shoulder surgery in October and may miss the start of the season, which could dampen his market some. But in a thin free-agent class for middle infielders, Kim still stands out.
"One team that could use a shortstop however is the Atlanta Braves, although the price tag may be too much for them to stomach when Orlando Arcia is making just $2 million per season. Arcia gives them a good glove at short like Kim, but he's nowhere near the same level hitter."
In this scenario, Kim would head to Atlanta to replace struggling shortstop Orlando Arcia. Arcia was one of the worst-qualified shortstops in the league in 2024 and it's rumored Atlanta is looking to upgrade from him.
Adding Kim would be a bit of a risk, but it's one the Braves would benefit from taking.
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