Braves rumors: 3 players who are playing their way out of 2024 roster consideration
The Braves have one of the most talented teams in the MLB, but they still have players that are playing their way out of 2024 roster spots.
There aren’t a lot of teams in recent history that have the talent that the 2023 Braves have. They are incredibly loaded from top to bottom. But even a team this talented has a few holes in their team. Atlanta has a couple players that have been playing themselves out of 2024 roster consideration.
Not every roster move is going to be made because of a player’s bad performance. Different factors like contract and upcoming prospects could also result in a 2023 starter being moved off the roster in the offseason. But which players are the ones that are likely to be off the roster next year?
Braves rumors: Kevin Pillar will likely walk in free agency this offseason, and Atlanta won’t mind
The Atlanta Braves play their starters as much as anybody in the entire league. This use of the starters, which has ended with great results, creates an almost useless bench. One of the pieces that has sat the Braves bench this year is Kevin Pillar, who’s also on an expiring contract. Atlanta likely won’t look to resign the veteran next year, especially after his poor performance this year.
On the season, Pillar has seen 134 at bats where he’s put together a slash line of .227/.254/.422 and 13 extra base hits. His OPS+ of 76 ranks last on the Braves roster in terms of hitters with at least 100 at bats. His 34 to 5 strikeout to walk ratio is also one of the worst on the entire team.
MLB Pipeline predicts that Jesse Franklin, the Braves 22nd ranked prospect and their third-highest ranked outfielder, will be MLB ready next season. He would be the perfect replacement for Pillar, as long as Franklin is able to put together a good end of this year and a productive spring training. If Atlanta opts to not elevate a prospect, they have the cap flexibility to replace Pillar with a free agent that has a much higher ceiling than the veteran. Don’t expect to see Pillar in a Braves uniform next year.