How might the Atlanta Braves approach the 2022-23 offseason?
4) By hook or by crook, the Atlanta Braves will need a left fielder in 2023.
Robbie Grossman, Eddie Rosario, and Marcell Ozuna were the primary platoon options at left field for the Braves in 2022. While Grossman was the best option of the three with a 91 wRC+ compared to Ozuna’s 89 wRC+ and Rosario’s 62 wRC+, it’s still below-average production, and he’s going to be a free agent anyway.
Ozuna, with his -0.8 rWAR, and Rosario, with his massive drop-off in production since the 2021 NLCS, are prime candidates to be traded or released, especially with Ozuna owed $32 million over the next two seasons. Trading low-end prospects along with one of them may be the Braves’ only financial reprieve in this situation.
Adam Duvall, with his age, injury, and almost certain drop-off in play, may very well not be pursued by the Braves in free agency either.
Regardless, there will be an opening in left field. One solution will be to bring back Grossman, but he is simply a platoon option for left-handers with his career .790 OPS against them. There would certainly be another left fielder incoming.
What legitimate options can the Atlanta Braves explore for left field?
One free agent option is the powerful Joey Gallo, who absolutely mashes right-handed pitching with a .474 slugging percentage, which fits the Braves’ hitting philosophy. They were reportedly in on Gallo at the 2022 trade deadline before he landed on the Los Angeles Dodgers.
However, the outcome that many diehard Braves fans will be clamoring for is the return of World Champion Joc Pederson. He is a free agent, and you have to assume he would be open to returning to Atlanta.
Joc found his footing again in 2022 with the San Francisco Giants after a few down years, slashing .274/.353/.874 with them, destroying mostly right-handed pitching. He would be an excellent complement to lefty-specialist Grossman.
The only issue is that Joc might demand longevity in his contract, whether that be three or four years. The Braves are perfectly capable of handing that to him, but they may be wary given their track record of mostly handing out one-year deals for non-franchise players.
Options that may fit that mold are former Brave Jorge Soler, who struggled with the Marlins and may choose to opt out of his contract, Michael Brantley, or Mitch Haniger, both of whom would be able to start most games and hit very well against right-handed pitching.
Brandon Nimmo, the Mets’ leadoff hitter and primary center fielder, is worth a shout for his .367 OBP and elite defense, but there will almost certainly be a team that overpays for him.
Aaron Judge and his likely $35 million dollar-per-year deal would break the Braves’ carefully-crafted wage structure, and while it may be worth it, a signing like that simply isn’t what the Braves can afford to do with other holes left to address.
Next. Braves drop NLDS to Phillies as starting pitching falters. dark
There are so many routes that Alex Anthopoulos can take to construct the Atlanta Braves for 2023, but this article can only cover a few of the most likely. The amount of work that goes into an offseason like this would make armchair general managers never speak up again.
However, this time around, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments on whether you agree, and if you don’t, what the Atlanta Braves should do instead.