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By Aaron Coloma
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Gold Glove utility man Ha-Seong Kim signed a one-year, $20 million deal with the Atlanta Braves on Monday, and reportedly turned down a four-year, $48 million deal from the Athletics in the process.
"The Athletics tried for free agent shortstop Ha-Seong Kim, offering him a four-year, $48 million contract with room to grow, according to a person briefed on the discussions," The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal wrote. "Kim, 30, instead opted for a one-year, $20 million deal with the Atlanta Braves, and the chance to return to the open market next season."
Kim played just 48 games in the 2025 season, having dealt with a lower back issue and undergone surgery on his right shoulder in October 2024, and had just a .649 OPS through 171 at-bats. The Tampa Bay Rays put the 30-year-old on waivers in August after 24 games, and the Braves picked him up.
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His 24 games with the Braves were much better than the ones he spent with the Rays, posting a .684 OPS compared to the .611 mark he had before returning to the National League.
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Signing Kim made sense for the A's, who only have two sure names in their infield next season: Rookie of the Year-winning first baseman Nick Kurtz and runner-up shortstop Jacob Wilson. The A's fielded six different players at second base in 2025, with Max Muncy, Luis Urias and Zack Gelof spending the most time at the position.
The A's designated Urias for assignment in the middle of the season, Gelof has struggled with injury over the past two years and is yet to return to his electric performances fans saw at the end of 2023 and Muncy is also a candidate for the A's vacant third base spot.
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Rather than filling the right side of their infield through free agency, Rosenthal believes the A's should look to trade for a veteran — naming Brandon Lowe and Jeff McNeil as the most likely candidates to move to their temporary home in Sacramento.
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