'Surgery → FA → Trade → FA → Injury': Kim Ha-seong, 'Batting Average 0.089' Slump Sparks 'Another' Trade Speculation

*This content was translated by AI.

"$100 million (approximately 151.4 billion won) is enough."

That was the market's gaze toward Kim Ha-seong (31, Atlanta Braves), the first Asian infielder to win a Gold Glove Award. As a utility player, he possesses top-tier defensive skills, the ability to hit for power, and blazing speed. It did not feel like an excessive expectation.

However, too many changes occurred within just two years. He underwent surgery due to injury, and even during that process, he exercised his free agent (FA) option to change teams. Despite not showing much, he exercised his opt-out clause and could not let go of the hope for a blockbuster FA deal, but the situation has deteriorated to the worst.

Ahead of this season, Kim Ha-seong, who suffered a hand injury after falling on an icy road and underwent surgery, was called up to the major leagues on the 12th of last month but has managed only a .089 batting average (56 at-bats, 5 hits) in 17 games this season.

The slump has been incredibly persistent. Kim Ha-seong, who missed spring training due to a shoulder injury in 2024 and returned only in July, experienced ups and downs with Tampa Bay, batting .214 (84 at-bats, 18 hits) in 24 games. After being traded to Atlanta, he showed promise by batting .253 (87 at-bats, 22 hits) in 24 games to finish the season.

He activated the opt-out clause originally included in his two-year, maximum $29 million (approximately 43.9 billion won) contract with Tampa Bay and signed a one-year, $20 million (approximately 30.3 billion won) deal to stay with Atlanta.

Kim Ha-seong's sole goal was to recover his pre-injury form and hit a blockbuster FA deal. Therefore, the hand injury feels even more painful ahead of this season.

He has consistently received opportunities since returning but failed to capitalize. While his defensive skills and speed are advantages that can offset batting shortcomings, he shows a significant gap in batting compared to Mauricio Dubón (batting average .259) and Jorge Mateo (batting average .287), who are active at shortstop. Even on this day, he was left out of the lineup, overshadowed by Dubón and Mateo.

Nevertheless, he must continue to play consistently to build up his condition. Although the team is leading the National League East, the season has not yet reached the halfway point, making it difficult to be complacent.

That is why trade speculation has been raised once again. On the 15th, Atlanta-based media outlet SportsTalk ATL reported, "Atlanta, with a record of 45 wins and 21 losses, has no room to send players away. It is expected that they will look to bolster their roster over the next two months to strengthen their bullpen, starting rotation, and left field position." The outlet added, "There are a few ambiguous players on the current roster."

It then named Kim Ha-seong as one of those candidates. According to the media, Mark Bowman stated, "Kim Ha-seong is not likely to be the centerpiece of a trade," but added, "However, with Dubón and Mateo appearing as better options at shortstop, it does not seem like Kim Ha-seong will adapt well to Atlanta. In a situation where a promising pitching prospect and Kim Ha-seong would be sent away together, with the remaining $20 million salary to be paid, it could yield a good result if traded to a team needing infield reinforcement."

While the likelihood of a trade may not be high, the problem is that Kim Ha-seong has become something of an albatross for the current team.

More than half of the season remains. If Kim Ha-seong, who joined the roster faster than last year, bounces back, it is not impossible for him to hit the desired FA jackpot. The problem is that the situation is not easy even to seize the opportunity to bounce back. Kim Ha-seong, aiming for his third FA, finds himself in the worst situation of his career.

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*This content was translated by AI.