Jeff Passan has prediction for Braves shortstop Ha-Seong Kim

As I already wrote, MLB super agent Scott Boras, who represents Ha-Seong Kim, could throw a wrench into the Braves’ plans.

When Atlanta claimed Kim of waivers, despite him only playing in 24 games for the Rays and recording a .612 OPS, they were betting on him being healthy and more productive in 2026. They hope he picks up his $16 million player option for next year, but with a strong finish to the season, a case could be made that Kim might get more money and potentially a multi-year contract in free agency.

Teams, particularly the Atlanta Braves, don’t like dealing with Scott Boras for a reason. He’s notorious for squeezing every penny out of clubs to get his clients the most money possible. That’s why he’s paid the big bucks. So, if there’s an opportunity for Kim to get a better contract this winter, it should be expected that he will try.

That said, ESPN’s Jeff Passan laid out some predictions for the upcoming offseason, highlighting some player options. Ha-Seong Kim being one of them, with Passan saying he doesn’t believe the Braves shortstop will opt out of his contract at season’s end.

“The Braves claimed Kim off waivers from the Rays earlier this week and, in the process, might have solved their short-term shortstop problem,” Jeff Passan writes. “As good as Kim can be when healthy, he wasn’t this year, and picking up a $16 million player option before hitting free agency again makes the most sense.”

The Braves are hoping that is the case. They’ve been searching for an answer at shortstop ever since Dansby Swanson signed with the Cubs three years ago, cycling through uninspiring journeymen.

If the season ended today, Passan is almost certainly right. Kim hasn’t been healthy all year and had trouble landing a big deal last offseason because of injury concerns. But a lot can happen over the final three weeks. It won’t take much for Kim to remind clubs that he averaged nearly 4.0 WAR per season between 2021-2024.