The Braves signed shortstop Ha-Seong Kim to a one-year, $20 million deal, giving GM Alex Anthopoulos exactly what he was targeting this offseason. Kim turned down a $16 million player option with Tampa Bay to return to Atlanta with a $4 million raise.
That’s where things got complicated.
Kim’s now dealing with a finger injury that’ll keep him out 4-5 months. It’s a big blow for a team that thought they’d solved their shortstop situation.
But Anthopoulos wasn’t sitting still. The Braves acquired utility man Mauricio Dubón from Houston, sending infielder Nick Allen the other way.
“The Atlanta Braves are acquiring infielder Mauricio Dubón from the Houston Astros for infielder Nick Allen,” ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported.
With Kim sidelined, Dubón’s role became crystal clear. He’ll open the season as Atlanta’s starting shortstop, though his versatility means he can move around the field as needed.
The Braves also brought in Jorge Mateo to add depth and speed off the bench.
“Mateo is a solid pickup in response to Kim’s injury. He’s a good pinch running option. 84.1 SB% (95-for-113) going back to his 35 SB season w/ BAL in 2022,” Braves beat writer Mark Bowman noted. “His presence will allow Dubon to move around late as well.”
The good news? Dubón’s a Gold Glove winner, so Atlanta’s defense shouldn’t skip a beat. The question mark is his bat – he’s never been much of an offensive threat, which makes Kim’s eventual return that much more important.
It’s not ideal having your $20 million shortstop on the shelf before Spring Training even starts. But the way Anthopoulos has maneuvered around the injury shows why he’s built one of baseball’s most consistent contenders.
Now the Braves just need Dubón to hold things down until Kim’s ready to take over.
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