The Atlanta Braves are in a good place as we prepare to enter next week's Winter Meetings - with eight of nine lineup spots already filled and a solid starting rotation, Atlanta could make nothing but depth signings and still be one of the favorites to win the 2024 World Series.
But there's always room to improve, and Bleacher Report identified one player that might help.
In their annual "Predicting Every MLB Team's 2024 Opening Day Lineup" article, baseball writer Joel Reuter notes that Hunter Renfroe could be an excellent addition to Atlanta's outfield mix, slotting him into the #8 spot in the lineup.
Here's what he said about adding Renfroe:
The only obvious hole in the Atlanta lineup is left field after Eddie Rosario had his $9 million club option declined. Slugger Hunter Renfroe has averaged 34 home runs per 162 games during his eight-year career, and also has one of the strongest throwing arms in baseball.
Renfroe, 31, played for multiple teams over the past few seasons on the same contract he signed in December 2020 with the Boston Red Sox. He was shipped to Milwaukee in December 2021, and then to the Los Angeles Angels in November of 2022. One of the many players waived by Los Angeles in late August as they tried to get below the luxury tax line, he was claimed by the Cincinnati Reds and finished the season there.
Across his 140 games in 2023, Renfroe batted .233/.297/.416 with 20 homers and 60 RBIs. It's a remarkably similar offensive profile to Eddie Rosario - a streaky power hitter with a higher strikeout rate - with better defensive versatility. Renfroe was below average overall in right field, coming in at -4 OAA on MLB Statcast, but his arm was 91st percentile and left field is a less-demanding defensive position.
If Atlanta could get him on a discount from last year's $11.9M salary, it'd be an easy way to add a veteran into the outfield mix while Vaughn Grissom (presumably) learns the intricacies of playing in the grass.
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