Braves sign Mike Yastrzemski to a two-year deal

Mike Yastrzemski was a late bloomer, making his MLB debut at 28 years old in 2019, but he arrived with a bang, posting an .892 OPS over his first two seasons. His numbers have leveled out since then, yet he still turned in a more than respectable .735 OPS with 17 homers across 146 games this year for the Giants and Royals. He’s been particularly effective against right-handed pitching throughout his career, boasting an .809 OPS.

The Braves aren’t chasing star power with this move, but Yastrzemski’s left-handed bat and plus defense stabilize the outfield and will allow Drake Baldwin, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Jurickson Profar to rotate through the designated hitter spot as needed.

This acquisition now lets the Braves shift their full attention to the pitching staff, and they should have plenty of resources to bolster both the rotation and the bullpen.