Alex Anthopoulos has made it very clear that the Braves would like shortstop Ha-Seong Kim back in 2026. Unfortunately, it takes two to tango, and it looks like Anthopoulos may have a dilemma on his hands. Braves beat reporter Mark Bowman recently suggested Kim is likely to opt out of his $16 million player option for next season.

Of course, the Braves could be proactive in their pursuit of Kim by offering him an extension before he even reaches free agency. But this is a Scott Boras client we’re talking about, and things are rarely simple when Boras gets involved.

Losing Kim to free agency would instantly move shortstop to the top of the Braves’ list of offseason priorities, without many clear solutions available in free agency. However, Braves broadcaster C.J .Nitkowski recently threw out a few blockbuster names to watch on the trade market — options that would certainly shake up the baseball world.

C.J. Nitkowski’s Braves Shortstop Trade Targets

– Ha-Seong Kim (player option)
– Corey Seager (trade candidate)
– Jeremy Peña (trade candidate)
– Ezequiel Tovar (trade candidate)
– Trevor Story (potential free agent)
– Josh Smith (trade candidate)
– Taylor Walls (trade candidate)

Shortstop will be a priority this offseason for the Braves. It all hinges on Kim, but if he doesn’t exercise his player option here are some possibilities, both long shot and safer plays. #TheDriveIn pic.twitter.com/6BwIeoZy0l

— CJ (@CJNitkowski) October 15, 2025

Corey Seager

Seager is the biggest name Nitkowski mentions and is in the conversation for the best shortstop in baseball, but the idea of the Rangers at least considering a trade isn’t that far-fetched, as I recently laid out.

Why not include something wild? The Rangers are expected to shed payroll this offseason, which could mean offloading the biggest contract they have on their books. Seager is set to make $31.5 million for the next six years after signing a 10-year contract with the Rangers ahead of the 2022 season. To this point, he’s been worth every penny of that deal, making three All-Star teams and accruing 22.1 WAR over the last four years. It would be a massive gamble, one the Braves aren’t typically known for, but it would turn arguably their biggest weak spot into one of their biggest strengths.

Jeremy Peña

Peña is coming off a career year in which he hit over .300 with an .840 OPS. Not many teams would consider moving a player like that, especially with multiple years of control, and the Astros probably aren’t either. Still, Nitkowski makes some valid points. Houston acquired Carlos Correa at the trade deadline and could shift him back to shortstop. Plus, the Astros are typically forward-thinking, often looking to get ahead of paying players by trading them when their value is at its peak. That could be the case this offseason if the Braves are willing to part with pieces from their major-league roster.

Ezequiel Tovar

Eventually, the Rockies will move on from Ezequiel Tovar, but with five years remaining on his contract, that feels unlikely to happen this offseason. He’s a Gold Glove shortstop with some pop, carrying a career .720 OPS, and he’s owed just $43 million over the next four years, with a $23 million club option for the 2031 season.

Trevor Story

Story is another player I discussed as an option for the Braves not long ago if he does decide to opt out of his contract with the Boston Red Sox.

Buster Olney mentioned Trevor Story as a potential Braves offseason target not long ago. The veteran shortstop posted 3.8 WAR with 25 home runs for the Red Sox this year and has the ability to opt out of the final two years and $50 million of his deal. Boston can override that by adding an extra year, but if he hits free agency, Story would be a major upgrade over Kim and fill a void left since Dansby Swanson departed in 2022.

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Photo: Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire

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