Ha-Seong Kim showing encouraging signs amid rehab assignment

Braves shortstop Ha-Seong Kim began his rehab assignment with Double-A Columbus this past week, and the early returns are encouraging.

On Saturday, Kim recorded a single, drew two walks, and scored twice. He followed that up by going 1-for-4 on Sunday with another walk in five plate appearances. Through four games, he’s now hitting .333 with four walks and an .872 OPS.

Most importantly, he’s already appeared in back-to-back games — a strong indicator that his return is nearing. The Braves will still want to see him handle a full nine innings in consecutive games defensively, but that’s typically the final box to check, something that should be completed at some point this week.

It doesn’t seem likely the Braves will rush him back during the current road trip, but when the club returns home on May 12 for a matchup with the Chicago Cubs, that feels like a realistic target for his season debut.

Much like at catcher during Sean Murphy’s absence, the Braves haven’t missed a beat at shortstop. Mauricio Dubón has been a massive upgrade over last year’s production at the position, and even Jorge Mateo has been a pleasant surprise in spot duty.

Still, Kim’s return shouldn’t be overlooked. Atlanta’s depth has been a major factor in its hot start, and it’s only about to get stronger in the coming weeks.

—