When the Atlanta Braves were looking for outfield depth this past winter, little did they know what was to occur. President of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos signed veteran Mike Yastrzemski.
The 35-year-old has spent the majority of his career with the San Francisco Giants before he was traded last year to the Kansas City Royals. He was brought at his age to add depth for an Atlanta outfielder that had Ronald Acuña Jr., Michael Harris II, and Jurickson Profar projected to start in 2026.
That all changed recently when Profar was suspended for the season for a failed drug test. All of a sudden, the move by Anthopoulos made signing Yastrzemski looks better. Now with Opening Day less than two weeks away, the Braves are beginning to see the rewards for signing Yastrzemski.
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Nobody could have predicted that Profar was going to be suspended. However, as big a loss as it is, having a veteran like Yastrzemski able to slot into the starting lineup in the outfield is a bonus for Atlanta. Jim Bowden of The Athletic listed one player from every team that is turning heads in camp. Yastrzemski is turning heads for the Braves.
“The Braves signed Yastrzemski as a free agent in an effort to improve their outfield depth behind Ronald Acuña Jr., Michael Harris II and Jurickson Profar. What they didn’t know at the time was that Profar would be suspended for the season due to another positive PED test, opening the lane for Yastrzemski to be their everyday left fielder,” wrote Bowden.
Last season between Kansas City and San Francisco, Yastrzemski slashed .233/.333/.403 with 28 doubles and 17 home runs in 146 games. Those numbers are not going to jump off the screen. They do emphasize how he can fit into a Braves lineup. It is expected to be better with the return of Acuna, Jr.
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It was surprising, given how well he performed with the Royals and Giants, that Yastrzemski went unsigned by the Royals. In early December, the Braves pounced and are glad they did. He’s going to end up playing a bigger role than anyone thought. His two-year deal at the beginning of the offseason looks good now.
“Mike has had a fantastic spring training on both sides of the ball. He’s also fit seamlessly into our clubhouse,” said Anthopoulos.
The National League East is going to be an interesting division this summer. The Philadelphia Phillies had some changes, including losing left-handed pitcher Ranger Suârez to the Boston Red Sox. Some think they remain the team to beat. However, the New York Mets made some moves, adding Bo Bichette from the Toronto Blue Jays. They are hoping that it offsets the loss of Pete Alonso to the Baltimore Orioles.
Losing Profar is a blow to Atlanta. If Yastrzemski can play the way he did earlier in his career with the Giants and stay healthy, he’ll be turning heads all summer.
Atlanta Braves Underrated Free Agent Signing Turning Heads Ahead of Opening Day