Braves Sign Mike Yastrzemski: What to Make of Move

Aside from needing a shortstop and depth pitching, the Braves also had a hole in the DH spot heading into the winter. Marcell Ozuna went to market, and on December 10, the Braves appeared to partly address that hole. Veteran outfielder Mike Yastrzemski is reportedly headed to the Braves on a two-year deal.

A Look at Yastrzemski

Former Royals outfielder Mike Yastrzemski had a very good two months in Kansas City. Acquired from the Giants to help boost the Royals’ outfield, Yastrzemski finished in the top 30 in total extra-base hits (23). He hit nine home runs and 14 doubles as a member of the Royals across 50 games.

The 35-year-old made a name for himself way back in 2019 when the Giants gave Yastrzemski, a former Orioles farmhand, a crack at the MLB level. At the time, it had been nearly six years since he was drafted out of Vanderbilt. In his rookie season, he belted 21 home runs.

Since then, Yaz’s offensive production has been up and down. Yastrzemski posted a .968 OPS in the shortened 2020 season, then hit a career-best 25 home runs for the 2021 Giants. However, he’s yet to hit 20 in a season since then.

Yastrzemski’s tools are as follows: disciplined hitter who will take walks — he set a career-high for walks with 72 in 2025 — as well as a pull-heavy approach at the plate. Defensively, he’s not the fastest player on the field but he ranked in the top 20% in average arm strength this past season.

He set a career-high in outfield assists 11) this past year.

The problem with Yastrzemski is that his splits heavily towards right-handed pitching. Yaz slashed .256/.362/.446 with 15 home runs and 42 extra-base hits against righties last season. Against lefties? He posted just a .427 OPS with four extra-base hits and 22 strikeouts over 105 PA.

That’s been a theme for Yaz, as his career OPS against righties is .809. However, against left-handed pitching, it’s .648.

Per the New York Post, the Braves will give Mike Yastrzemski a two-year deal worth $23MM.

Analysis

The Braves had a lot of success with their outfield group last season, between Jurickson Profar — who hit well after his PED suspension — and Ronald Acuna Jr. Michael Harris II, despite his chase-heavy tendency at the plate, continued to hit for power and play good defense in center.

Adding Yastrzemski does give the Braves more options with lineup construction in 2026, particularly against right-handed pitching.

Atlanta didn’t have a defined DH heading into the offseason, as Marcell Ozuna hit free agency in the fall. With Yaz, the Braves can, conceivably, go with him as either a DH or corner outfielder on days the team wants to give Acuna Jr. a day off in the field.

Given how Yastrzemski pulls the ball, he could do well in Truist Park, which is pretty friendly to left-handed hitters. Over the last three seasons, it was the seventh-best ballpark (109) as far as park factor is concerned when it comes to home runs hit.