Ha-Seong Kim was supposed to fix the Atlanta Braves' shortstop woes after a solid run last season, but man, has that gone sideways fast. The guy has been to the plate 73 times this year and is hitting a brutal .068 with 22 strikeouts. Honestly, it's a mess, and it’s pushing the Braves to eye a major move for Washington Nationals All-Star CJ Abrams.
The Shortstop Saga That's Tanking the Lineup
Kim's return to Atlanta was met with hope, but it's just been a string of disappointments. He got hit with an injury in Korea during the offseason, missed the start of the year, and since coming back, he just hasn't made an impact. Then another injury piled on the frustration. Mark Bowman from MLB.com even said that Kim's just trying to "right himself to the point where he might provide some value to the one-year, $20 million contract he signed in January." Ouch. He's nearing another return, but with his .068 average, nobody's holding their breath. ATL All Day's Nick Halden pointed out that the Braves are "far better off with Jim Jarvis, Mauricio Dubon, or Jorge Mateo in the starting lineup." That's a tough pill to swallow when you're talking about a player brought in to be *the* answer.CJ Abrams: The $18M All-Star Who Could Be the Answer
With Kim struggling so hard, the trade market is heating up for Atlanta. ESPN's Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan are pointing to Washington Nationals All-Star CJ Abrams as a prime target. And honestly, why wouldn't they? Abrams is only 25 and he's on pace for career highs across the board this season. We're talking about an "easy plus runner" with "strong bat speed/raw power." He's even leaned into "pull/lift elements to the biggest degree this season" to unleash that power in games. Sure, there are always questions: can he keep it up? Is his defense fully there? Could he move to second, third, or even center field? But the dude has already earned $18 million in his career and is still under team control through arbitration. He'd be an immediate, massive upgrade at shortstop, filling that void left by Dansby Swanson's departure. Atlanta desperately needs that offensive spark from shortstop, and Abrams is bringing it big-time for the Nationals. If the Braves are serious about contending, they've got to be willing to pay the price for a young All-Star who can finally solve this long-standing hole in their lineup. It's time for them to put their money where their mouth is, because this could be the difference-maker they need.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.
Originally reported by Direct RSS.