ATLANTA — Ha-Seong Kim turned what had been a frustrating and largely disappointing season into one of the most memorable moments of the Braves’ 2026 campaign Wednesday night, delivering a dramatic walk-off single that gave Atlanta a thrilling 6-5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Truist Park.
Kim entered the game as an unlikely hero. After signing a one-year, $20 million contract during the offseason, expectations were high for the veteran infielder. Instead, his season got off to a disastrous start. A finger ligament injury suffered in South Korea delayed his debut by roughly six weeks, and once he returned, he struggled badly at the plate.
Kim hit just .068 over his first 27 games and eventually spent three weeks on a Minor League rehab assignment in an effort to rediscover his swing. Even after returning to Atlanta on Aug. 4, his opportunities were extremely limited. He had accumulated only three at-bats across the Braves’ first 20 games following his activation, leaving questions about whether the organization’s decision to retain him was justified.
Rather than allowing the lack of playing time to affect him, Kim continued preparing as though his opportunity could come at any moment. That patience finally paid off in the biggest possible fashion.
With the Braves trailing late and needing a clutch hit, Kim was called upon as a pinch-hitter with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. Lane Thomas had doubled to put the potential winning run in scoring position, and the Dodgers intentionally walked Austin Riley to set up a matchup they preferred.
Los Angeles closer Tanner Scott was then forced to face either left-handed hitter Dominic Smith or Kim. Braves manager Walt Weiss opted for Kim, believing his career success against left-handed pitching gave Atlanta its best chance.
Kim rewarded that decision immediately.
He worked Scott into a 3-0 count before taking a called strike and then fouling off three consecutive pitches. On the next offering, Kim connected with a 97.2 mph four-seam fastball and drove it into left field, bringing Thomas home and sending Truist Park into a frenzy.
The hit ended an 0-for-27 drought dating back to June 3 and marked Kim’s first hit in nearly three months. More importantly, it delivered a victory with significant implications for Atlanta’s postseason positioning.
“It’s been a rough season personally for me, but the team is doing great,” Kim said through interpreter David Lee. “I was always trying to think about how I can help the team. I feel like I was preparing myself, and I feel like all that hard work and preparation paid off at this moment.”
The Braves’ clubhouse erupted after the game, with teammates celebrating Kim and recognizing the perseverance that had carried him through one of the toughest stretches of his career.
“Everybody was really happy for me,” Kim said. “They all high-fived and hugged me. I really enjoyed it.”
Weiss also emphasized that Kim’s preparation never stopped despite his struggles.
“It’s great to see guys rewarded for hard work and perseverance,” Weiss said. “It’s great when the game rewards guys like that.”
The situation that ultimately created Kim’s opportunity was just as unusual as the ending itself. Catcher Sean Murphy had already recorded his third hit of the night in the eighth inning before being replaced by pinch-runner Brewer Hicklen. Drake Baldwin’s double then put two runners in scoring position, but Atlanta failed to score.
Baldwin later had to move behind the plate in the ninth inning, eliminating the Braves’ designated hitter and leaving the ninth spot in the batting order occupied by the pitcher. When Thomas doubled with two outs, Roberts intentionally walked Riley, expecting the matchup to favor his club.
Instead, Atlanta’s least likely offensive option delivered the decisive blow.
The victory was particularly valuable because the Braves won the first two games of the three-game series against Los Angeles, securing the season-series tiebreaker. Atlanta improved to 78-55 and moved within two games of the Dodgers, who fell to 80-53, in the race for the National League’s second first-round bye.
That makes Kim’s unexpected contribution even more significant. What looked earlier in the season like an expensive contract that might produce little return suddenly became a potential difference-maker in Atlanta’s postseason push.
Kim signed with the Braves for $20 million knowing the pressure that would come with the deal, but injuries, poor production and limited opportunities made the season particularly difficult. Wednesday night, however, he finally produced the type of moment Atlanta hoped it would receive when it committed to him.
For the Braves, the walk-off was more than just another victory. It was a reminder of why they continued believing in Kim when his season appeared to be slipping away.
And for Kim, it was perhaps the clearest reward yet for refusing to stop preparing when his opportunities were few and far between.
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