Braves predicted to trade for $9M Gold Glove winner, World Series MVP to replace Ha-Seong Kim

The Atlanta Braves have 45 wins and are coming off just their third series loss of the season, an impressive feat considering it is nearly the middle of June. While Atlanta has been the best team in baseball, the roster still doesn't feel complete.

The Braves will need to address a few areas to solidify themselves as true World Series contenders. However, figuring out what to do with Ha-Seong Kim appears to be the organization’s biggest question mark.

“Sounds like the Braves may be approaching a crossroads with Ha-Seong Kim. The belief internally may still be there, but if this continues another couple weeks, it feels like a legitimate ‘what are we doing at shortstop?’ conversation is coming,” 680 The Fan’s Chris Dimino said.

Kim has not lived up to his lucrative contract, and the Braves appear to be running out of patience. In fact, Atlanta could use him as part of a trade package at the deadline.

“Kim wouldn’t be the centerpiece of any deal. But it doesn’t feel like he has a fit in Atlanta with both Mauricio Dubón and Jorge Mateo looking like better options at the shortstop position. Pairing Kim with a top pitching prospect and agreeing to pay the remaining portion of his $20 million salary to a middle infield-needy team could net a decent return,” MLB.com’s Mark Bowman wrote.

If the Braves decide to move on from Kim, they could target another shortstop. Whether Kim is traded or not, ESPN’s Bradford Doolittle believes Atlanta could pursue Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña.

“Looking ahead to a likely return to October, there are two keys areas to monitor and assess: shortstop and the rotation. The Braves figure to be mentioned frequently if and when the Skubal sweepstakes commence, but shortstop might be the bigger need. That really only matters if someone who is a clear upgrade -- perhaps someone such as Jeremy Pena,” Doolittle wrote.

Atlanta simply needs more consistency at shortstop, especially with Mauricio Dubón spending more time in the outfield. Acquiring Peña would provide both elite defense and a productive bat in the lineup.

Peña is under team control for the next two seasons and is making $9 million through arbitration this year. The Braves have shown they are willing to make aggressive moves, and if they decide to move on from Kim, Peña could be one of the most valuable options available. It is also worth remembering that Atlanta and Houston have already completed a trade within the past six months.

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