Ha-Seong Kim to Atlanta: one less club for Bo Bichette?

Ha-Seong Kim, in 2025, played in Tampa Bay. But late in the season, when the Rays put him up for waivers, the Braves claimed him to give him a month to get used to Georgia.

The goal? Hope that he liked the organization and wanted to stay.

However, he said no to $16M guaranteed using his opt-out… but now he's left multi-year offers on the table to take the $20M Alex Anthopoulos put on his table.

This means he'll earn $4 million more than if he hadn't used his exit option.

https://twitter.com/TBTimes_Rays/status/2000758511576183237

Presumably, the multi-year offers on his table weren't worth $20 million per season. Now he's given himself a chance to return to the market in a year's time with a better season under his belt.

In Atlanta, his mandate will be to be the regular shortstop. He excels everywhere in the infield, but the #6 position is his best.

This means that Mauricio Dubon will be used as a utility player by the Braves. Had the club not added Kim, Dubon would have been the regular at shortstop in Atlanta.

Raisel Iglesias, Robert Suarez, Mike Yastrzemski, and Kim are Atlanta's big offseason additions so far. The club, which missed the playoffs in 2025, will be looking for a top-notch pitcher going forward. The club should be good in 2026.

https://twitter.com/DOBrienATL/status/2000746279291310323

Inevitably, one has to wonder what this means for Bo Bichette.

If the Braves sign a player attached to a qualifying offer, it will cost them a very high pick, handcuffing the club. I had a hard time seeing the fit for that reason, for a position player.

But now, with the club giving $20 million to a shortstop and wanting to sign a starter, it's clear that it's harder than ever to see Bichette in Atlanta.

Let's see what he does, then. A return to the Blue Jays is less and less out of the question, but several clubs have their noses in the matter.

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