Braves shortstop Ha-Seong Kim began his rehab assignment on Wednesday afternoon with the Double-A Columbus Clingstones, going 1-for-2 with a stolen base in his first game back since slipping on ice while in Korea and tearing a tendon in his finger.

When the injury first occurred, the Braves believed he’d be back around Mid-May, and that trajectory has stayed true to this point. He’s not a pitcher or catcher, so there aren’t nearly as many boxes he’ll need to check while on the farm. Once he plays in back-to-back games and looks comfortable at the plate, there’s no reason for the Braves to be hesitant in calling him up.

Speaking of catchers, Sean Murphy was also in action on the farm this afternoon, going 1-for-5 with an RBI and a couple of runs. Braves manager Walt Weiss said that the club would monitor his progression throughout the week. They’re comfortable with where he’s at defensively but want to give him some more at-bats in Gwinnett before he rejoins the major-league club.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)