Atlanta: Kim Ha-seong of the Atlanta Braves has seen his season-long hitting streak come to an end at 10 games. Kim went 0-for-4 with three groundouts and a flyout, as the Braves edged out the Washington Nationals 3-2 at Truist Park in Atlanta on Tuesday (local time).
According to Yonhap News Agency, during his 10-game streak, Kim batted 14-for-37 (.378) with two home runs, eight RBIs, and 10 runs. His batting average for the season had increased from .217 to .257 during that span, but it came down to .250 after his hitless day. Facing starter Brad Lord out of the No. 5 spot in the lineup, Kim grounded out to second baseman Nasim Nunez in the bottom of the second inning and then to shortstop CJ Abrams in the fifth.
In the bottom of the sixth, Kim flied out to left fielder James Wood. With reliever Julian Fernandez on the mound, Kim bounced out to third baseman Brady House in the eighth. Kim is batting .309 in September after joining the Braves off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays at the start of this month.
With Kim having turned his season around after a short, injury-plagued stint with the Rays, it bears watching whether the Gold Glove-winning shortstop will pick up his player option for next year, worth US$16 million, or decline that and elect for free agency. The soon-to-be 30-year-old could conceivably command more money for a longer term in the open market, and the Braves, in need of a steady and productive shortstop, may offer Kim an extension before the South Korean veteran hits free agency.