This could play a huge factor in Braves retaining Ha-Seong Kim

The Braves took a gamble on Ha-Seong Kim, claiming him off waivers from the Rays and picking up his $16 million player option for 2026 in the process.

The early returns are encouraging. Kim has played stellar defense, as he has throughout his career, and his bat has been a breath of fresh air at the the shortstop position, which has been a black hole in Atlanta ever since Dansby Swanson signed with the Cubs in free agency.

There is one caveat, though. The player option means Kim is in complete control. If he feels like he could get something more lucrative  in free agency, he’ll surely test the market. At that point, it will be difficult for the Braves to retain him, considering he’s a client of MLB super agent Scott Boras, who is always looking to squeeze every penny out of organizations.

So, as much as Kim is hoping to make a positive impression with his new team, the Braves need to sell themselves in hopes of retaining him in 2026. One player that could play a pivotal role in that is Jurickson Profar, who was a teammate of Kim’s in San Diego.

“We’re not only teammates, he’s like a brother,” Profar said, via Mark Bowman of MLB.com. “We have spent a lot of time together, just hanging out at the stadium and at the team hotel. We eat together. We do everything together.”

Having that kind of bond can only help the Braves’ chances, but things always get tricky when dealing with a Boras client, and the market for shortstops this upcoming offseason is bare, to say the least.

If Trevor Story doesn’t opt out of his contract with the Red Sox, Kim could be the best shortstop available in the upcoming free agent class. Bo Bichette might have a better offensive pedigree, but his defense is a concern. He probably shouldn’t be playing shortstop right now, and he certainly should not as he gets older.

The market could ultimately give Ha-Seong Kim no choice but to opt out, but if it’s close, there are indications that he wouldn’t mind sticking around for what the Braves hope to be a bounce back campaign in 2026.

“He told me it’s different here than it was with the Rays, because he didn’t have anybody to talk to,” Profar said. “It’s a different group here. Everybody really cares for each other. He told me that right away.”