What’s the Braves vision for Mike Yastrzemski?

The Braves needed to add another bat to their lineup, and they did so on Wednesday night with the acquisition of outfielder Mike Yastrzemski.

It’s not the blockbuster move fans have been waiting for, and he shouldn’t be viewed as a one-for-one replacement for Marcell Ozuna, who has been one of Atlanta’s most consistent offensive performers over the past three seasons. But anyone frustrated by this addition may need a reminder of what the Braves endured this year.

On paper, Atlanta has three everyday outfielders in Ronald Acuña Jr., Jurickson Profar, and Michael Harris II — but each of them comes with warts. Acuña’s injury history is well-documented, and the Braves would surely like to DH him at times. Harris was almost unplayable during the first half of last season, and Profar was a major liability defensively, making him a DH candidate depending on the matchup.

Yastrzemski, meanwhile, is a plus defender who can capably play all three outfield spots. His offensive profile is solid as well. He owns a career .772 OPS and has been particularly effective against right-handed pitching, posting an OPS north of .800. He also ended the 2025 season on a tear, hitting nine homers with an .839 OPS over his final 50 games with the Royals.

Due to a variety of circumstances, the Braves were forced to give more than 600 at-bats last season to the following group:

• Jarred Kelenic
• Eli White
• Bryan De La Cruz
• Stuart Fairchild
• Alex Verdugo
• Jake Fraley

That collection of players combined for -0.6 WAR in essentially a full season’s worth of at-bats. Yastrzemski has never posted a season below 2.0 WAR and finished with 2.8 WAR this year. That’s a massive upgrade, and the Braves will pay him just $9 million in 2026 — a bargain for the type of player he’s been throughout his career.

Not every move is going to be a grand slam, but the team that wins in October is typically the most complete from top to bottom. No area is overlooked. Last season, the Braves’ lack of depth hurt them as much as any single injury. Their bench was littered with AAAA-type players who had no business holding meaningful roles.

This move ensures that won’t be the case in 2026, and there’s no reason it should prevent Alex Anthopoulos from making a major splash as the offseason unfolds.