Time for the Braves to make a change at shortstop?

The Braves don’t really know what they want to do at shortstop. It’s been that way for almost a half-decade, but the good news right now is that at least they have options.

Rookie Jim Jarvis did enough to win the starting job while Ronald Acuña Jr. was out. Acuña’s absence forced Mauricio Dubon into the outfield every day, which opened the door for Jarvis. Now Acuña is back, Dubon has shifted into his normal super-utility role, and while the Braves recently said Jarvis is the team’s primary shortstop, it might be time to reconsider.

Jarvis is fantastic defensively. That’s been his calling card since the minors and it’s carried over nicely to the top level. Offensively, there have been signs, particularly in Triple-A this season, where he hit .313 with 29 extra-base hits in just 76 games before being promoted. That success carried over to Atlanta for a brief stretch, but it’s slowed considerably over his last 12 games, in which he’s hitting just .143 with a .382 OPS.

It’s pretty evident the Braves’ best lineup right now has Mauricio Dubon manning shortstop. But then there’s Ha-Seong Kim, who the club refuses to move on from despite him offering nothing all season. He has played in only 27 games because of various injuries, and has somehow managed to hit .068 with an OPS+ of -30, which I didn’t even know was possible over a sample size that large.

If Kim is going to be on the roster, though, the Braves are best off giving him at least a few opportunities at shortstop for a couple of reasons. First, he could be a quality addition to the lineup if he reverts to the player he’s been his entire career. And if he doesn’t, the Braves will know it’s time to cut bait, because he offers next to nothing on the bench.

He can’t change a game with one swing. He’s not better defensively than Jarvis or Dubon. He’s not a guy you call on to swipe a bag. That roster spot could be put to much better use if Kim isn’t starting — who cares whether the Braves paid him $20 million in the offseason.

The next couple of months will be an interesting watch at the position. If the playoffs started today, it’s hard to imagine anybody other than Dubon starting at shortstop. Both Jarvis and Kim are running out of opportunities to prove otherwise.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)