The Atlanta Braves will be without starting shortstop Ha-Seong Kim to start the season.
Kim suffered a hand injury while in Korea recently, the team announced on Sunday. According to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, Kim suffered the injury after slipping and falling on ice. He underwent surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right middle finger in Atlanta, and will now spend the next four to five months recovering.
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That means that Kim wouldn’t be able to make his season debut with the Braves until mid-May or sometime in June.
The Braves first claimed Kim off waivers last September after he started the season with the Tampa Bay Rays. He didn’t make his debut last season until July 4 due to right shoulder surgery he underwent late in 2024. Kim then declined a player option for the final season, and ended up striking a new one-year, $20 million deal with the Braves. That new contract gave him a $4 million raise.
The 30-year-old had three home runs and 12 RBI in 24 games with the Braves last season, his fifth in the league. Kim got his start with the San Diego Padres in 2021.
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The Braves went just 76-86 last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2017, which was also the last time the franchise finished a campaign with a losing record. That led to longtime manager Brian Snitker stepping down. The team then opted to promote bench coach Walt Weiss to replace him in November.
The Braves will open the 2026 season on March 27 against the Kansas City Royals.
