The 2025 baseball season is one that Ha-Seong Kim would probably prefer to file away and forget. What began with optimism and expectations turned into a long, frustrating journey that tested his resilience, patience, and belief in himself. He opened the year as part of the Tampa Bay Rays organization, yet his actual presence on the field was nonexistent for months.
Kim didn’t appear in a game until July 3, missing the entire first half of the season. The delay wasn’t due to performance or choice—he was still recovering from significant right shoulder surgery that had been performed previously. The Rays knew that the recovery process would take time, but the calendar kept moving without Kim being able to contribute.
Shoulder injuries are notoriously tricky, especially for players who rely heavily on swinging powerfully, throwing with precision, and moving freely in the field. Even after months of rehabilitation and countless physical therapy sessions, Kim’s return had to be measured.
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The Rays took their time, monitoring every step of his progression, eventually giving him clearance to begin playing again in early July. For Kim, finally stepping onto the field after such a long absence must have felt like both a relief and a fresh start. His long-awaited season debut brought hope that he could put the injury in the past and start helping his team.
However, the momentum he worked so hard to build didn’t last. Not long after he rejoined the lineup, Kim began experiencing new physical issues — this time involving his back. A baseball season is demanding, and the stress of returning from a major procedure can impact the body in unexpected ways.
The Rays had no choice but to place him back on the injured list in August, halting his progress once again. For a player trying to reestablish rhythm and consistency, another stint on the IL was a major setback.
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As the month continued, the Rays faced difficult roster decisions. They needed flexibility and contributions from players who were fully available, and unfortunately, Kim’s ongoing injury concerns made him the odd man out. In late August, Tampa Bay placed him on waivers — a move that signaled they were ready to part ways and allow other teams the opportunity to claim him.
That opportunity came almost immediately.
The Atlanta Braves, always aggressive in adding talent whenever they spot potential value, put in a claim and acquired Kim shortly after he was waived. Just one day later, he was not only on their roster but inserted as the starting shortstop.
Atlanta saw something in him that Tampa Bay couldn’t wait any longer for — a chance to add a skilled infielder with offensive upside and defensive versatility. Surprisingly, the change in scenery proved to be exactly what Kim needed.
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Once settled into the Braves’ lineup, Kim began to find his swing again. His offense came alive, and he delivered impactful at-bats, reminding everyone of the player he could be when healthy. Although the season was filled with adversity and setbacks, Kim’s strong finish in Atlanta served as proof of his determination and talent — and showed that even a year full of challenges can end with a resurgence of confidence.
Ha-Seong Kim predicted to sign one-year deal after opting out with the Braves
When the season wrapped up, Ha-Seong Kim found himself facing one of the biggest decisions of his professional career. It wasn’t a simple matter of where he would play next year—it was a financial and strategic calculation that could impact the remainder of his time in Major League Baseball.
Under the terms of his contract, Kim held a player option worth $16 million for the upcoming season. If he exercised the option, that money would be guaranteed. If he declined it, he would enter free agency and be free to negotiate with any team in the league.
The risk was obvious: turning down the option meant walking away from a guaranteed $16 million. The reward, at least in theory, was the opportunity to secure a longer deal, possibly one worth significantly more overall.
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Kim ultimately chose the riskier path and opted out. By doing so, he signaled that he was willing to gamble on himself and believed that the open market might reward him more generously than the contract already in place. It was an aggressive move that hinted at his confidence and desire for a fresh start—perhaps with a team willing to commit to him as a key player rather than a temporary fit.
However, the timing of his opt-out became a central part of the conversation around his market value. Kim’s most recent season had not unfolded the way he or any of his previous team’s executives hoped. Injuries derailed what should have been a crucial year—one in which he could showcase his growth, his versatility on defense, and his capability to impact the lineup on offense.
Because of the shoulder surgery that delayed his season debut and the back issues that sent him back to the injured list, he ended up with limited playing time. While teams know what Kim can offer when he’s healthy—elite defense, strong baserunning, and above-average offensive production—recent availability concerns cast uncertainty over any long-term commitments.
Front offices around the league tend to be cautious with players coming off injury-plagued seasons. Even if a player has strong upside, the risk of recurrence or long-term decline influences contract discussions. In Kim’s case, the injuries prevented him from building momentum or showing sustained production, and that absence of a full sample size will likely be used as leverage against him in negotiations.
This is where the perspective from ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel becomes relevant. McDaniel, a well-known MLB analyst and former team scouting executive, offered his view on how Kim’s market might unfold. In his estimation, Kim is not lining up for a massive, multi-year deal this offseason. Instead, McDaniel predicts that teams view Kim as a player with intriguing potential but also legitimate question marks.
Because of that, he anticipates that Kim may have to accept what is commonly called a “prove-it” contract: a short-term deal that gives a player the chance to rebuild value and head back into free agency later—ideally under better circumstances.
McDaniel specifically suggests that Kim might end up signing a one-year contract worth around $16 million, which mirrors the exact amount he walked away from when he declined his player option. Essentially, the market might force him to take the same paycheck he already had on the table—but without the security of the original contract structure.
McDaniel stated that he still sees the possibility of Kim producing as a solid contributor, perhaps even reaching two wins above replacement (WAR) next season. That level of production would make him a meaningful asset to just about any club. But even McDaniel acknowledges that such a projection takes imagination, given that Kim wasn’t able to demonstrate consistent, high-level performance throughout the most recent season. Teams prefer certainty when committing money, and Kim, right now, represents potential more than stability.
McDaniel also floated the idea that it’s possible, though not likely, that Kim could secure a two-year contract. But when weighing his health record against the dynamics of the current free agent market, the one-year prove-it structure seems far more realistic.
In other words, the gamble Kim took by opting out may not pay off immediately. If he ends up signing a one-year deal, it essentially resets his career clock. Instead of locking into long-term financial security now, he would be betting on himself to stay healthy, perform well, and re-enter free agency with stronger leverage. It places intense pressure on next season—a make-or-break opportunity that could determine whether his next move is a lucrative multi-year contract or another short-term stopgap deal.
Many observers believe that Kim may look back and wonder whether opting out was the right decision. His previous contract with Atlanta (or, depending on the context, whichever team held the deal before he elected to exit it) would have guaranteed him that $16 million without exposing him to the risks of the free market. Choosing to abandon that guarantee in hopes of finding something better sets high expectations, and now those expectations may collide with the reality of how cautious teams become when evaluating players with recent injury histories.
Still, the situation isn’t hopeless. Kim has multiple qualities working in his favor:
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Elite defensive versatility — he can excel at shortstop, second base, or third base, and defensive value often holds up even if offense fluctuates.
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Strong work ethic and reputation — coaches and teammates consistently describe him as competitive, disciplined, and team-focused.
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Prior offensive success — when healthy, Kim has shown that he can contribute power, patience at the plate, and effective baserunning.
There are always organizations willing to take a chance on a player with that combination of skills, even if recent injuries cloud the picture. Kim does not need every front office to believe in him—he only needs one team to decide that his ceiling outweighs the concerns. Often, teams looking to push themselves into contention are willing to take short-term risks, especially if the contract length is limited.
Kim’s priority now becomes proving that the lost time in the recent season was not a sign of long-term decline, but rather an anomaly. His offseason training, medical updates, and spring performance will all be scrutinized. If he can show even glimpses of his peak form, one strong year could unlock the payday he hoped to find this winter.
For now, though, opting out of his deal leaves him in a position where he must rely on a franchise seeing beyond the missed games and focusing instead on what he could provide when fully back to form. The decision is made, and he cannot go back—meaning his future hinges on how teams evaluate his potential rather than his recent availability.
Ultimately, Kim now enters the offseason with something to prove. He bet on himself. The next year will determine whether that bet pays off.
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