The Atlanta Braves are staring down one of the worst contracts in MLB, all thanks to Ha-Seong Kim and his current .066 batting average. Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter didn’t pull any punches, listing Kim’s $20 million contract with Atlanta as one of the absolute duds in the Majors, flat-out calling him one of the game’s most overpaid players.
The “Audition” That Went Horribly Wrong
Can you believe it? The Braves had to pivot at shortstop before the season even started because of Kim’s freak ice skating accident, where he tore a tendon in his finger. They grabbed Jorge Mateo on a one-year deal, but that tenure didn’t work out for either side. But when Kim came back, it was supposed to be better, right? Nope. According to the report, it was “much worse.” Atlanta’s front office inked Kim to a one-year, $20 million deal to be their primary shortstop after what Reuter called a mere “24-game audition down the stretch in 2025.” A 24-game audition? Seriously, what did they *see* that convinced them to drop $20 million on that kind of sample size? Whatever vision the Braves had from Kim in 2025 has completely disappeared in 2026.
Abysmal Production and a Lingering Question
This season, Kim has played 31 games, and his numbers are just stomach-churning. The former Gold Glove Award winner is hitting a pathetic .066/.165/.066. Let that sink in. Zero extra-base hits in 85 plate appearances. None. That’s not just bad, that’s historically bad for someone you’re paying twenty million clams to be your everyday shortstop. You have to wonder: is that torn finger tendon from the offseason still nagging him? It almost has to be, because this kind of production is just baffling otherwise. The team is now left scrambling, relying on Mauricio Dubon and Jim Jarvis to split shortstop duties. This is the kind of situation that makes you pull your hair out as a fan.
What’s Next for Atlanta?
So, what’s the move for the Braves? You’ve got a Gold Glover who’s earning $20 million and hitting less than a Mendoza Line from another era. The report raises the brutal question: do the Braves consider cutting ties with Kim, or is that just too much money to pay a player who won’t even be on the roster? Eating that kind of cash would be a tough pill to swallow, but what’s worse? Having a black hole at shortstop for the entire season? It’s a no-win scenario that’s going to hang over that team until they figure it out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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