Braves Running Out of Time to Retain $90M Shortstop Priority Ha-Seong Kim as Dodgers-Blue Jays World Series Looms.vc

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves are on the clock to secure shortstop Ha-Seong Kim, their top offseason priority, as the New York Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays gear up for the 2025 World Series starting October 25. With Kim opting out of his $16 million player option for 2026, the Braves face a narrowing window to extend him before free agency erupts, potentially costing them a premium asset in a thin shortstop market. GM Alex Anthopoulos has just weeks to craft a deal—projected at four years, $90 million—before rivals like the Phillies and Giants swoop in. Kim’s late-season surge (.327 average, Gold Glove-caliber defense in 11 games) has made him indispensable, but his “nuclear” decision to test the market has Atlanta scrambling.

Kim’s Late-Season Spark: A Perfect Fit After Waiver Claim

Ha-Seong Kim, 30, was a waiver wire coup for the Braves on September 1, 2025, claimed from the Tampa Bay Rays after shoulder surgery sidelined him until August. In 11 games, he slashed .327/.375/.439 with elite defense (96th percentile Fielding Run Value at shortstop), flipping Atlanta’s position from a black hole—Nick Allen’s .221 average and 52 OPS+ was MLB’s worst—to a strength. “It was great… I think I had more fun and enjoyed playing baseball in Atlanta,” Kim told reporters, contrasting his injury-plagued Rays stint. His 2022-24 peak with San Diego (.250/.321/.413, 64 starts at shortstop) and 2023 Gold Glove make him the ideal fix for Atlanta’s infield woes, as SI.com’s Harrison Smajovits wrote: “If he opts out and signs elsewhere, they could be back to square one.”

The Tight Timeline: Option Deadline Looms After World Series

Kim’s $16 million player option must be exercised within five days of the World Series’ end—potentially November 7 if it goes seven games—leaving Atlanta roughly two weeks to negotiate. HTHB’s Chase Owens warned: “The question is: Can Anthopoulos get an offer on the table that would make Kim reconsider testing the market? Is four years, $90 million enough?” Kim, repped by Scott Boras, declined the option to chase a multi-year pact, but his enjoyment in Atlanta—“I had more fun here than Tampa Bay”—hints at openness to a deal. X is ablaze: “Kim to Phillies? Nightmare fuel—AA, lock him up!” one post with 8K likes warned.

The $90M Pitch: Why It’s Now or Never

A $90M extension—four years at $22.5M AAV—aligns with Kim’s value: A 4.5-win player in 2022-24, his Gold Glove defense and .250 career average address Atlanta’s shortstop black hole (Allen’s 52 OPS+ was MLB-worst). Smajovits warned: “Because of this thin market, that would incentivize Kim to test the market… It’s even more important that the Braves find a way to retain his services.” Free agency alternatives like Willy Adames ($20M AAV) or Xander Bogaerts ($25M AAV) are pricier and less defensive fits, per The Athletic. Anthopoulos, who nabbed Kim for $2 million prorated, must act swiftly—Boras clients rarely settle early.

Recommendation: Lock Him In—$90M Is a Steal

Anthopoulos must extend Kim now: A $90M pact secures a 4.5-win player at $22.5M AAV, cheaper than Adames or Bogaerts, and stabilizes the infield for a 2026 rebound. If he bolts, Atlanta’s back to square one in a barren market—don’t let him slip.