Braves Shortstop Ha-Seong Kim Faces Struggles and Reduced Playing Time

Atlanta Braves shortstop Ha-Seong Kim took another day off on Friday as the team prepared to face the Pittsburgh Pirates at Truist Park. Despite his usual pre-game routine, Kim is seeing a decrease in playing time, having sat out six of the last eight games. His teammates, Jorge Mateo and Mauricio Dubon, have stepped in and shown improved performance during this stretch.

In 39 games, Mateo boasts an impressive batting line of .301/.341/.494, while Dubon, who started in Friday's 6-3 victory, is hitting .255/.312/.398. In stark contrast, Kim's numbers have plummeted to .102/.185/.102, raising questions about his role on the team.

This season has been particularly challenging for Kim, who missed the World Baseball Classic due to a torn tendon in his middle finger that required surgery in January. His decline has been notable since his time with the San Diego Padres, where he accumulated a 15.1 WAR over 540 games and excelled defensively with a plus-24 outs above average (OAA) and a plus-18 fielding run value.

After being designated for assignment following just 24 games with the Tampa Bay Rays last season, Kim signed a one-year, $20 million deal with the Braves. However, since his return from injury in mid-May, he has managed only five hits in 49 at-bats and has committed three errors, resulting in a minus-4 OAA.

As the Braves continue to evaluate their roster, the competition for playing time has become increasingly fierce, leaving Kim's future role uncertain.