'Slip on ice → 5 months of rehab' Kim Ha-seong shows sharp performance with a hit and a stolen base at third in first game back... Return timeline also emerging

*This content was translated by AI.

Kim Ha-seong (31, Atlanta Braves), who has been dedicated to rehabilitation for a long period, was finally deployed in a real game.

On the 30th (Korea time), Kim Ha-seong started at second in the batting order and as shortstop in a home game against the Montgomery Biscuits, the 2026 Minor League Baseball regular season opener held at Sinovus Park in Columbus, Georgia, USA. He recorded one hit and one stolen base in two at-bats before being substituted in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Kim Ha-seong played for the Columbus Clingstones, the Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. Montgomery is the Double-A team of the Tampa Bay Rays, Kim Ha-seong's former team.

After about four months, Kim Ha-seong was back in action and performed brilliantly. In the bottom of the first inning with one out, he hit a pitch from right-handed pitcher Jack Cateson inside the body hard, resulting in a single to left field. Kim Ha-seong advanced to second base on a walk by the following batter, Rizandro Espinoza, and stole third base with a double steal. It was his first stolen base of the season. He did not reach home plate due to a failure by the subsequent batters. In the bottom of the third inning, he was retired on a fly ball to right field and recorded no further hits.

Despite being his first game in five months, he showed nimble defense. In the top of the third inning with one out and runners on second and third, he fielded a ground ball from Gregory Barrios and threw to first base, easily recording an out. The game ended in a 6-5 loss for Columbus, as starting pitcher Garrett Bowman could not overcome his poor performance of five innings allowing six runs.

However, for the Atlanta Braves, this game was meaningful simply because of Kim Ha-seong's successful return. Kim Ha-seong signed a one-year, $20 million free agent contract with Atlanta last December. Shortly after, he fell on an icy road in Korea, rupturing the tendon in his right middle finger and underwent surgery, causing delays in Atlanta's plans.

As a result of leaving for the United States and focusing solely on rehabilitation, he was able to return around the time Atlanta had anticipated. Sports Illustrated (SI) updated the status of Atlanta's injured players after the game, stating, "Atlanta expects Kim Ha-seong to need a few more weeks of rehab. Sean Murphy may be seen in early May, while Kim Ha-seong might not be available until mid-May."

Even upon his return, a tough competition for a starting position is expected. Initially, Kim Ha-seong's competitors at the time of his injury were considered to be utility players Mauricio Dubon and Jorge Mateo, who were at a similar level.

However, both Dubon and Mateo have delivered performances exceeding expectations, and Atlanta is currently leading the National League East with a record of 21 wins and 9 losses. As of the end of the game on the 29th, Dubon recorded a batting average of 0.282 (29 hits in 103 at-bats) in 28 games, with 2 home runs, 14 RBIs, an on-base percentage of 0.327, a slugging percentage of 0.437, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.764.

Mateo, who has been playing as a backup, also posted a solid performance with a batting average of 0.286 (8 hits in 28 at-bats) in 15 games, 1 home run, 3 RBIs, and an OPS of 0.762. For Kim Ha-seong, gradually regaining his form also seems like a good approach.

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*This content was translated by AI.