'Return to Triple-A' rehabilitation completed for Kim Ha-seong; facing release amid hitting slump... "Atlanta may have to make a difficult decision"

*This content was translated by AI.

Kim Ha-seong (31, Atlanta Braves), who has completed rehabilitation for his right hand, is set to return soon.

On the 18th (Korean time), the Atlanta Triple-A affiliate, Gwinnett Stripers, officially announced via its website that "Kim Ha-seong and Ronald Acuña Jr. will play rehabilitation games against the Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit Tigers' Triple-A team) in a three-game series."

Kim Ha-seong was placed on the 10th-day injured list on the 5th due to an injury to his middle finger on the right hand. He played a rehabilitation game with Atlanta's Rookie League team, FCL Braves, on the 14th and posted decent results: a .333 batting average (6-for-20) across three games, one home run, two RBIs, and an OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) of 1.389.

This is not Kim's first rehabilitation game with Gwinnett. After signing a one-year, $20 million free agent contract with Atlanta this year, he suffered a rupture in the tendon of his right middle finger after slipping on an icy road in Korea. He played five games for Gwinnett in May, posting a .263 batting average (5-for-19), and made his major league return on May 12.

This time, however, a call-up is not expected to be easy. Kim Ha-seong has struggled to regain his hitting form this year, enduring his worst season with a .068 batting average (5-for-73) in 27 major league games.

The issue is that Atlanta does not feel Kim's absence. As of the end of play on the 18th, Atlanta leads the National League East with a record of 56 wins and 40 losses. The promising prospect Jim Jarvis (25), who replaced Kim, has also performed well with a .300 batting average (9-for-30) and an OPS of 0.789 over 10 games.

This is one reason why Atlanta may not rush Kim's return. If his hitting slump continues without improvement, there is even speculation about the possibility of releasing him. On the 16th, The Athletic anticipated Atlanta's trade deadline strategy and specifically mentioned the shortstop position.

The Athletic stated, "Atlanta's $20 million shortstop, Kim Ha-seong, has managed only five hits in 73 at-bats this season. Although his return is drawing closer, promising prospect Jarvis has maximized the opportunity during his absence."

It further added, "Since being called up two weeks ago, Jarvis has recorded eight hits and a home run, already surpassing Kim's offensive production. If Jarvis maintains his strong hitting form, Atlanta may have to make a much more difficult decision than anticipated."

The possibility of Mauricio Dubón, a utility player, returning to shortstop was also mentioned. Dubón is currently playing left field in place of Acuña Jr., batting .265 (91-for-343) over 91 games.

Since Dubón is capable of playing shortstop as well, there is a strong possibility that when Acuña Jr. returns, he and Jarvis could share the shortstop duties. In such a scenario, Kim Ha-seong's position would become even more precarious.

The Athletic noted, "Jarvis's strong start may not be enough for him to remain at shortstop indefinitely. With Acuña Jr. beginning his rehabilitation, Atlanta is expected to move Dubón back to shortstop."

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*This content was translated by AI.