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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 13: Ha-Seong Kim #7 of the Atlanta Braves throws the ball to the pitcher during the third inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field on June 13, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images)
The Atlanta Braves still have the best record in Major League Baseball, but the Dodgers are right on their tail.
In a season that has been widely viewed as a major success so far, the one lull for the Braves this season has been the signing of Ha-Seong Kim to a one-year, $20 million contract before the season. Kim injured his hand before the 2026 season began, did not participate in spring training, and was thrust into the fold for the Braves in May.
Well, Kim has struggled mightily, hitting just .089 over 50+ at-bats, with no extra-base hits, and just three RBI. Ha-Seong Kim has five hits in 56 at-bats. So, what has led to the disastrous start, and the reasoning behind his struggles make sense beneath the surface.
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GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 13: Ha-Seong Kim #7 of the Atlanta Braves throws to first base in the fourth inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field on June 13, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images)
Hitting too many ground balls in baseball can often be a death curse for two reasons as a player. A. It’s likely to catch a glove and be fielded (which will usually result in an out), and B. Because even if the balls finds the outfield grass, a hitter will almost always be limited to a single.
In a comprehensive breakdown of Ha-Seong Kim this season, FanSided.com contributor Zachary Rotman broke down Kim’s struggles and believes it’s because of Ha-Seong hitting way too many ground balls:
“These numbers are not what you want to see. Kim is hitting the ball on the ground more than he ever has, pulling the ball in the air less than he ever has and chasing out of the zone more than he ever has. Does that sound like a good combination?”
Per Rotman and his analysis chart, Ha-Seong Kim is hitting the ball on the ground at a 52.4% clip this season, and only ‘pulling the ball in the air’ 14.3%. It’s going to be very hard, at any level for a hitter, to be successful if they are not able to pull the ball with some strength.
And on top of those two statistics, Kim is striking out 22% of the time, which doesn’t help either.
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Look, first off, Ha-Seong Kim will need to mentally put his struggles behind him if he wants to turn his 2026 campaign around from a statistical standpoint.
First and foremost, Ha-Seong Kim must change his approach at the plate to try and do whatever it takes to lift the ball in the air to the pull side of the field.
However, the Braves also need to *not* give up on Ha-Seong Kim just yet.
It’s become very apparent that manager Walt Weiss is hesitant to throw Kim in the batting order, but how is a player going to succeed in MLB if they only play once every three days?
It seems like the Braves are content with using Mauricio Dubon in left field instead of shortstop lately, which should open things up for Kim.
But if things don’t turn around soon for Ha-Seong Kim, his time with the Braves may be short-lived.
The Atlanta Braves are currently taking on the San Francisco Giants in a three-game series, where two games will be played on Wednesday, and the series will conclude (in Truist Park) on Thursday.
Los Bravos still have a grip on the NL East, but the Philadelphia Phillies are just 7.0 games back and are a surging team in MLB. Atlanta’s record is 46-25, but that is subject to change as early as Wednesday afternoon.
On top of Ha-Seong Kim struggling, the Braves’ offense as a whole has hit a bit of a lull. They activated Drake Baldwin from the IL, but then Michael Harris went down with a back tightness issue.
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TJ French covers the MLB for Heavy. TJ is a graduate of the University of Georgia. He has 2+ years of writing experience. Follow TJ French on X: @tj_french5 More about TJ French
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