One year after betting on Jarred Kelenic, the Braves are doing it with Bryan De La Cruz in a much more cost-effective manner.
De La Cruz signed a one-year, non-guaranteed contract with the Braves on Sunday. Financial terms were not provided. The 27-year-old slugger will fill in for Ronald Acuña Jr., who will miss the opening two months of the regular season due to left knee surgery. When Acuña returns, De La Cruz may be a platoon partner with Kelenic, rather than an everyday player in left field.
But this is a divided deal, and De La Cruz still has alternatives. So, if he doesn’t make the team after Spring Training, he may start the season in Triple-A Gwinnett.
This is hardly a signing that will alleviate concerns about the Braves’ outfield composition. De La Cruz hit 18 home runs and had a.707 OPS in 105 games with the Marlins before being sold to the Pirates for a pair of prospects on July 30. He was non-tendered by Pittsburgh after hitting.200 with three home runs and a.514 OPS in 44 games.
If the season began today, Atlanta’s starting outfield would consist of center fielder Michael Harris II, Kelenic, and De La Cruz. Harris has shown the ability to be a star despite two injury-plagued seasons after winning the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 2022. However, Kelenic and De La Cruz have not lived up to their early expectations.
Last winter, the Braves spent around $17 million to secure five years of control over Kelenic. The 25-year-old outfielder then experienced the same inconsistencies that plagued him since the Mets selected him sixth overall in 2018. He was dealt to the Mariners the same year and was the league’s No. 4 overall prospect as recently as 2021.
Kelenic has a.663 OPS over his first 383 games (1,423 plate appearances). He hit 15 home runs and had a.679 OPS in 449 plate appearances for Atlanta this year. The Braves are looking for an outfielder who can contribute while Acuña recovers from his second ACL surgery in three years.
Instead of acquiring a proven everyday player, the Braves have so far only recruited what appears to be a platoon partner for Kelenic.
De La Cruz hit .285 with a .733 OPS against left-handed pitchers last year. But he homered just once every 44.8 at-bats against them, compared to the 23.8 AB/HR ratio he produced while hitting .210 with a .619 OPS against right-handed pitchers.
As the left-handed portion of the platoon, Kelenic would receive a majority of the plate appearances. He hit .236 with 14 homers and a .711 OPS against right-handed pitchers last year. He batted .206 with one homer and a .516 OPS against lefties.
De La Cruz came up through the Astros’ system and was traded to Miami before the 2021 Trade Deadline. He produced a .783 OPS while tallying 219 plate appearances for the Marlins that same year, but since then he has just a .694 OPS in 1,603 plate appearances over the past three seasons.
