How will the Braves address shortstop moving forward?

No position has hamstrung the Braves quite like shortstop since Dansby Swanson departed in free agency following the 2022 season, and despite pouring a ton of assets into the position this offseason, they find themselves with yet another dilemma on their hands.

It has now been two weeks since Ha-Seong Kim returned from a month-and-a-half on the shelf with a torn tendon in his finger, and the results have been nothing short of abysmal.

Kim has just four hits in his first 38 at-bats, none for extra bases, and his defense at shortstop has somehow been even more concerning. Beyond three errors in just 11 games, the range is lacking, his arm has been wildly inaccurate, and he frankly just doesn’t look comfortable out there.

Struggling at the plate after a lengthy layoff is one thing. Kim hasn’t been healthy for much of the last two seasons, and that’s something the Braves can manage — especially while they’re winning. The defense is a different story. He’s not passing the eye test of an everyday shortstop right now.

Because he’s making $20 million this season and it’s still relatively early, the Braves are going to give him more time in hopes that he can get comfortable and find some confidence, both offensively and defensively. But when players return from injury and more are added at the deadline, the best players are going to play down the stretch, and I’m not sure the best version of Kim is better than Mauricio Dubon or even Jorge Mateo.

As things stand, Dubon is playing left field against left-handed pitching to fill the void left by the Jurickson Profar suspension. But it would be surprising if the Braves didn’t add a right-handed outfield bat at the deadline, and once that happens, left field is no longer a spot where Dubon can play most nights.

Dubon has been the superior defender — which takes precedence over everything else at shortstop — and his clutch hitting has been critical to Atlanta’s success this season.

Ha-Seong Kim will have to play a lot better over the next couple of months if he wants to see the field come August. At that time, it’s very possible the Braves look at the $20 million they spent on him during the offseason as a sunk cost.

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