With the Braves offseason officially beginning after a devastating loss to the Phillies in the NLDS, it’s the time of the year for personnel decisions.
Alex Anthopoulos doesn’t have many difficult decisions to make when it comes to the lineup, but it seems he’s already made one. Kevin Pillar penned Braves fans farewell, which might signal his time in Atlanta has come to an end.
The 34-year-old signed a one-year deal in January and squeezed out a roster spot. His role was to start in left field against lefties while Eddie Rosario assumed starting duties against righties.
Pillar’s .664 OPS wasn’t great, but he had a ton of impressive catches and came up big in clutch situations. He averaged .261 with two outs and runners in scoring position to go with .324 in tie games. On the year, he slashed .228/.248/.416 with 9 home runs and 32 RBIs in 206 plate appearances.
In the postseason, he was essentially a non-factor. He garnered two starts against the Phillies with Ranger Suarez on the mound; in seven plate appearances, Pillar went o-for-5 with a pair of walks and three strikeouts.
The Braves can absolutely get better at the position, but Kevin Pillar was extremely easy to root for, and even though he only spent a short time in Atlanta, he provided an impact that goes beyond the box score. His departure shouldn’t hurt the Braves at all, but it’s still sad to see a fan favorite go.
You can add a backup outfielder to the list of offseason needs for this club.
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