Atlanta Braves want an impact bat: what and who is that anyway?
By Fred Owens
The Atlanta Braves would like to acquire the player they need without plundering their rapidly thinning farm system, making free-agents more desirable, which brings us to Brantley.
The Braves tried to sign Brantley following the 2018 season, but he chose the Astros. Reports are that the now 33-year-old Brantley – he turns 34 in May – may find Atlanta a better place to ply his trade in 2021.
Michael Brantley to Atlanta?
In the Athletic (behind a paywall), Ken Rosenthal wrote that the Astros reportedly want Brantley back, and he’s interested in returning. Other reports have the Yankees interested -maybe they’ll okay a five-man outfield next year – and the White Sox looked at Brantley too. Neither landing spot seems ideal for Brantley, as both have outfielders and DH’s aplenty.
Brantley’s style is essentially the same as Nick Markakis with a 20 homer bat added on. He gets on base 37% of the time, strikes out at roughly half the league average, his wRC+ was 24% better than the league in 2018 and 2019, and he hits well with men on base.
Defensively, he’s declined slightly but could easily patrol left field at Truist Park with Cristian Pache roaming center. Like Markakis, Brantley would set act as a mentor for the younger players and a steadying influence in the lineup.
Brantley alone isn’t enough.
Atlanta Braves
While the Braves might try to coax him to Atlanta again, he’s not a perfect fit. He did split time between hitting third and cleanup in the Astros lineup during 2019, but he’s older and not the imposing figure Ozuna presented behind Freeman.
Brantley doesn’t need to platoon, but he played only 123 games in the field in 2019 and DH’d in 25 more games, so he’s no longer an everyday player. He fits best as part of Alan’s two-players-who-hit-a-lot-of-doubles answer to strengthening the Atlanta Braves’ lineup, hitting fifth or sixth in the order. The two-player solution would force a change at another position as well.
Brantley is projected for a two-year contract at $14M a season. I think that’s a bit high for 135 games a year, but it could take an overpay to get him.