3 Braves who could be this postseason’s Joc Pederson
By John Buhler
Although Eddie Rosario is still on the club, the Atlanta Braves will need a handful of guys to play like he, Joc Pederson and Jorge Soler did for them during last year’s World Series run.
Without Joc Pederson, Eddie Rosario and Jorge Soler, the Atlanta Braves are not world champions.
Dressed in pearls, Pederson came up huge for Atlanta in the NLDS vs. the Milwaukee Brewers. Rosario played out of his mind vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS to win the pennant. And has Soler’s Game 6 moonshot landed yet? If Atlanta wants to face presumably the Houston Astros in a World Series rematch this season, they need to find their next Pederson, Rosario or Soler stat.
Here are three candidates to be this year’s October hero for the reigning World Series champions.
Atlanta Braves: 3 candidates to be this postseason’s Joc Pederson
OF. Atlanta Braves. Robbie Grossman. 3. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 17
Robbie Grossman checks the box of outfield trade piece with something to prove
Atlanta was able to win its first World Series championship in 26 years due in large part to the moves general manager Alex Anthopoulos made at the trade deadline to reshape the outfield. All four additions (Adam Duvall, Pederson, Rosario, Soler) all were impactful players for the Braves down the stretch and in October. Perhaps Robbie Grossman can be that for them this postseason?
Grossman has come up clutch on a few occasions since coming over from the Detroit Tigers. Initially, he was going to be used in more of a platoon role with Rosario, but has largely played every day out of necessity. He can handle defensive responsibilities in left and right field, as well as provide a smooth stroke from both sides of the plate. Grossman has thrived in Atlanta uniform.
While he has some postseason experience, the 33-year-old has probably never played on a team quite like this. He will be a free agent this winter, potentially joining his sixth MLB franchise in the back-nine of his playing career. If he wants to garner a massive payday like Soler got from the Miami Marlins and Pederson got with the San Francisco Giants, timely hitting in October will help.
There are other candidates to be this October’s Pederson, but Grossman is not a bad bet either.