The Atlanta Braves came into the offseason with a few key needs. They needed to bolster the bullpen, add a starting pitcher, some outfield depth, and, most importantly, a starting shortstop.
While the bullpen and outfield depth issues have been resolved, the Braves are still seeking a starting pitcher. And of course, Ha-Seong Kim’s return on a $20 million one-year deal secured the Braves their starting shortstop for 2026.
But, with a reported offer of $48 million over four years from the Athletics, why did Kim choose the Braves deal? Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic revealed the reason why, and it’s a very understandable reason for Kim to leave $28 million on the table.
Why Ha-Seong Kim picked $20M Braves over $48M A’s offer
“Ha-Seong Kim bet on himself when he turned down the Athletics’ four-year, $48 million offer to sign a one-year, $20 million free-agent deal with the Atlanta Braves,” Rosnethal writes. “But he also preferred playing shortstop with the Braves to second base with the A’s.”
The contract difference is a big deal with this offer, as Kim is making $8 million more in 2026 by taking the Braves deal rather than the Athletics’ offer. While he’d be getting $28 million more from the A’s, it would come with three more years of control and a far-lower per-year total.
But that’s not the only reason he chose the Braves over the A’s. Atlanta was going to play him at shortstop, while with the Athletics, he’d be playing second base.
With shortstops in the Majors getting a lot more money, Kim is taking the chance that he has a strong 2026 season in Atlanta and can cash in next offseason with a long multi-year deal.
J.P. Crawford is the other top shortstop free agent next offseason, and Kim would have a case to be the top choice next winter. A strong 2026 season, and Kim could be looking at a much bigger deal than the one the Athletics offered.
Kim is 30 years old, and after a down 2025 season between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Braves, he’s looking to bounce back in 2026 with Atlanta, where he finished the 2025 season off strong.
He’s a career .242 hitter, and while his .701 OPS and 97 OPS+ aren’t the best marks, his strong defense and ability to be a plus-hitter when he’s at his best are worth a long-term contract.
But, he wasn’t going to get such a deal this offseason, as seen by his taking a one-year prove-it deal with the Braves. Kim will try to bounce back in 2026, and a strong season could net the shortstop a lofty contract heading into his seventh MLB season in 2027.
