ESPN grades Braves deals for Robert Suarez and Mike Yastrzemski

Immediately after the MLB Winter Meetings, the Braves made their two most significant acquisitions of the offseason, inking a two-year deal with Mike Yastrzemski and a three-year contract with former Padres closer Robert Suarez.

Yastrzemski raises the floor of the Braves outfield. He’s capable of playing all three positions defensively and has had sustained success against right-handed pitching throughout his career, boasting an OPS north of .800. Atlanta also values what he brings to the clubhouse and views him as insurance if Sean Murphy is forced to miss time after undergoing season-ending hip surgery. In that scenario, Drake Baldwin could handle everyday catching duties while Jurickson Profar shifts into the DH role more frequently.

The Yastrzemski signing earned a modest B- from ESPN’s Bradford Doolittle, who acknowledged the versatility the Braves are trying to add to their lineup but also labeled the two-year, $23 million contract a “mild overpay.”

“The Braves didn’t need a major overhaul in the outfield, but Yastrzemski represents an upgrade to the overall position group. He’s a versatile left-handed hitter who will ostensibly bump veteran Michael Siani out of a depth role on the 40-man roster.

The deal feels like a mild overpay given Yastrzemski’s age (he turns 36 next August), the two-year commitment and the Braves’ payroll outlook. Atlanta still has room to play with under the first luxury tax threshold (around $22 million, according to Cot’s Contracts) but they still need a starting shortstop and more pitching, so things could get cozy pretty quick.

That said, you like the options that new Atlanta manager Walt Weiss will have at his disposal, especially if the Braves find a solution at short that would shift Mauricio Duboninto the super-utility role for which he’s best suited. The Braves would have Yastrzemski, Michael Harris II, Ronald Acuna Jr., Jurickson Profar and Eli White as a core outfield rotation.”

Doolittle was slightly more bullish on the Braves’ acquisition of Robert Suarez, giving the three-year, $45 million contract a B grade. He highlighted the potential advantage Atlanta could gain come October with Suarez and Raisel Iglesias finishing games — two arms that have been among the best closers in baseball over the last couple of seasons.

“If you close your eyes, ignore the rest of the offseason and the 2026 regular season, and then imagine the Braves in next year’s playoff bracket, you see something enticing. A team with a one-two back-of-the-bullpen punch that has shrunk games down to seven innings. Navigate the bridge innings between the rotation and this dual-closer dynamo waiting in the wings, add a resurgent offense, and you’re in business.”

The reason the deal didn’t receive a higher grade from Doolittle is the length of the contract for a pitcher who will be 35 years old at the start of next season.

“The contract is about right in AAV but probably a year longer than you’d like. That’s surely the function of a free agent market growing thin on elite closer types. The Braves re-upped with the 36-year-old Iglesias on a one-year, $16 million deal last month, so as long as Suarez holds up, he’s in position to take over as Atlanta’s exclusive closer after next season. The “if he holds up” qualifier is the potential sticking point because Suarez himself will be 35 by the time next season starts and has a strikeout rate (28%, 78th percentile among relievers with at least 30 appearances) that isn’t elite despite his raw stuff.”

The Braves bullpen really suffered from the losses of A.J. Minter to free agency and Joe Jimenez to injury last season. They desperately needed to add some juice, particularly an arm that brings real velocity. Few relievers in baseball have a more dominant fastball than Robert Suarez, who can immediately slot in as the club’s primary setup man in 2026 and take over the closing role in 2027 and beyond, with Raisel Iglesias entering the season on a one-year deal.