The Atlanta Braves have been dominating the National League East this season, sitting comfortably nine games ahead of the second-place Philadelphia Phillies. What makes their strong start even more impressive is that they've achieved it without being at full strength—key players like Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ha-Seong Kim have been sidelined for significant stretches.

While Acuña has been out since early May, Kim hadn't stepped onto the field for Atlanta at all this season. The Korean infielder was recovering from a finger tendon injury he sustained while slipping back home in South Korea. But all that changed on Tuesday night, when Kim finally made his season debut for the Braves at Truist Park against the Chicago Cubs.

The return didn't go exactly as planned for the former Gold Glover. In his three at-bats, he managed only a walk—a quiet start for a player who slashed .253/.316/.368 for Atlanta last season. But after months of rehab, it's expected that Kim will need some time to find his rhythm at the plate.

The Braves' front office is certainly eager to see their shortstop get back to producing, especially after signing him to a one-year, $20 million contract this past offseason. Kim's defensive skills alone make him a valuable asset, but his bat will be crucial as Atlanta looks to maintain its division lead and gear up for a deep postseason run.

The Braves and Cubs face off again on Wednesday night, with first pitch scheduled for 7:15 p.m. EST. All eyes will be on Kim to see if he can shake off the rust and start delivering the kind of performance that made him such a key offseason acquisition.