Ha-Seong Kim's Gold Glove Defense on Full Display in Return to Braves

The Atlanta Braves got their starting shortstop back on Tuesday, and the defense didn't disappoint

Kim made multiple difficult plays look easy in his return to the Braves | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

At the plate, Ha-Seong Kim’s return to the Atlanta Braves was quiet. He went hitless and reached base once on a walk. However, turn your focus to the top half of each inning, and his return was felt in a big way. 

He didn’t make any Web Gem-style plays, but strong defense was on full display from start to finish. Kim fielded a hard-hit groundball by Alex Bregman cleanly, which came off the bat at 102 mph, and he went from there. 

He turned a double play in the top of the fourth, snagging a groundball hit up the middle at 107 mph by Moisés Ballesteros. 

The impressive feat is how he played them like soft choppers. 

“I mean, he made a really nice play there and then charge play, tricky hop there, stayed through it. You know, we’ve seen him play Gold Glove shortstop in the past,” manager Walt Weiss said. “He’s a really gifted athlete.” 

Kim returned from a right middle finger injury that required surgery, which he sustained over the offseason. He was a late-season addition off the waiver wire, but he was more than your average waiver addition. 

The Tampa Bay Rays put him on waivers to avoid having to pay his contract going forward, and it was to the Braves’ benefit. Even after he turned down his player option, his short time in Atlanta encouraged him to want to stick around on a one-year $20 million deal.  

It was a pleasant sight, but the narrative around the shortstop position is completely flipped compared to last season. The last time Kim stepped into the position, he was a sight for sore eyes after nearly a full season of abysmal showings at the plate. 

This time around, Mauricio Dubón and Jorge Mateo more than did their job covering for the position. Now, it’s simply that the man who was expected to lead the charge gets to do so. 

The domino effect of Kim’s return can be seen in how Dubón was utilized on Tuesday. He had another chance to play in left field, keeping his bat in the lineup. It’s not his first time playing in the outfield this season, but it was another opportunity to take advantage of his utility defense. 

Having an extra Gold Glove winner to add to the mix never hurts. They now have Kim to go along with Dubón as a utility and Matt Olson over at first base. 

Meanwhile, Mateo still hangs around as a depth option. Given that he’s batting .306 with a 126 OPS+, the bench is in a good spot. 

Kim will see his next action with the Braves on Wednesday night when they look to take another series. JR Ritchie will go up against Shota Imanaga for a 7:15 p.m. first pitch. 

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