Anthopoulos Hopeful Kim Brings Long-Term Edge to Braves

Right now, it's a one-year contract, the Atlanta Braves would like to see this short contract spin into something long term

Ideally, this partnership goes beyond 2026 for the Braves | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Braves pulled off a major addition, or in this case, a re-addition, of a key position player for next season. Ha-Seong Kim is sticking around on a one-year contract. There had been a notion that he liked the team, and they liked him. That interest, and the right offer, proved to be enough to get him back for 2026. 

General manager Alex Anthopoulos wasn’t sure how much having him beforehand made the difference compared to if he had finished the season elsewhere. However, he thinks that one month left a solid impression. 

“I feel like, even though he wasn’t here that long, a month was pretty significant,” he said. “And he fit in quickly.”

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Anthopoulos expressed his confidence in Kim to generate more power than he did during his time with the Braves, as well as regaining some speed. While he stole zero bases in 24 games with the Braves in 2025, he had 60 stolen bases across the previous two seasons. 

When healthy, he is capable of pushing for 20 home runs. He had 17 the last time he was able to play 150 games in a season. So, there is a strong two-way contributor here. 

Kim’s situation is viewed as similar by Anthopoulos to when they signed a former MVP, Josh Donaldson. He struggled with injuries for a couple of seasons before signing with the Braves and then had a resurgence. During that 2019 season, Donaldson finished 11th in MVP voting in the National League. 

While Donaldon ended up signing with the Twins after that one year, they aim to spin a one-year deal into something more in Atlanta this time around. 

“With Kim, I’m hopeful it’s the same thing,” he said. “Come here, best player you can be, have a great year, get the contract that you deserve, and hopefully this is a longer marriage than a year.”

Having the re-signed shortstop do well and set himself up for a long-term deal only helps him and the team he’s on. Keep this in mind, Braves shortstop before his arrival combined for no home runs and 29 total RBIs. Both of these categories were the fewest, even when you add Kim’s stats back in, among any position on the team. Getting him back should make a difference over a full season. 

Having him around long-term makes sense from the perspective that their potential infield shortstops are all still a ways away. Two or three with Kim after 2026 would allow the Braves to get the remaining prime years, while also having time to develop whoever is next in line.