Kim underwent surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right middle finger, and his recovery time is expected to be 4-5 months. The procedure was performed by Dr. Gary Lourie.
So, the Braves will be without Kim until the middle of May and possibly into June. This opens the door for Mauricio Dubón to begin the season as Atlanta’s everyday shortstop.
Kim injured his right middle finger when he slipped on a sheet of ice while in his native Korea this past week. The 30-year-old missed the first three months of the 2025 season while recovering from offseason right shoulder (labrum) surgery. He also missed time with a back ailment last year.
Kim was claimed off waivers from the Rays in September and he produced a .684 OPS over 24 games for the Braves. Even with his recent health woes, he still was a top target in what was a light free-agent market for shortstops this winter.
With this setback, the Braves will have to wait a couple extra months before learning whether Kim is capable of getting back to where he was in 2023, when he hit 17 homers and constructed a .749 OPS for the Padres.
Dubón was a two-time Gold Glove winner (2023, ’25) at the utility position during his time with the Astros. His greatest value comes from his tremendous defensive versatility. But Braves manager Walt Weiss is among those who have previously said they are confident in Dubón’s ability to handle the shortstop role on an everyday basis.
