$20 million Braves free agent is out 4-5 months with a very NY Mets injury

This is the kind of injury you'd expect from a Mets player.
Washington Nationals v Atlanta Braves
Washington Nationals v Atlanta Braves | Kevin C. Cox/GettyImages

There was a time when the Atlanta Braves could have been a match for Bo Bichette in free agency. They went a different route, signing Ha-Seong Kim for $20 million. He played 24 games for them last season and it’s going to be a while before he suits up again because of the most New York Mets injury possible, breaking his hand after slipping on ice.

Expected to miss 4-5 months, the reunion has gotten off to a poor start. The fluke injury is just another reminder of how a single step can help alter the lineup. Step on up, Mauricio Dubon.

The injury bug is biting the Braves less than a month into 2026

Injuries to the Braves roster helped make the NL East a much more wide open battle in 2025 with the Philadelphia Phillies eventually running away from everyone. The starting rotation was put into a vice. Bryce Elder was the only player to start 25+ games and he even came up short on 30.

Atlanta got about half a season out of Ronald Acuna Jr. and a little over 100 games from Austin Riley. The Mets failed to take advantage of a painful year for the Braves. Apparently, the Baseball Gods have no mercy for them after all.

It has been a quietly active offseason for the Braves. They can be considered big winners in the free agent reliever pool, pulling in Raisel Iglesias and Robert Suarez. They added Mike Yazstremski in the outfield and remain a match to bring in a starting pitcher. Mets fans may feel as if their biggest theft of all was taking first base coach Antoan Richardson. Even longtime Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hefner can turn into a perceived heist if he can help some of their pitchers turn a corner or at least contribute to keeping them healthy; not as if he had a wand to accomplish this ever in New York.

It surely won’t affect the NL East Power Rankings with this injury, possibly because the Mets were already ahead of the Braves. The Mets have gone through the offseason unscatched thus far. We know when February arrives and pitchers and catcher report, we're bound to see someone land on the IL. Until then, stay off those snowmobiles.

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