3 Eddie Rosario replacements if Braves decline his option

The Atlanta Braves are expected to decline Eddie Rosario's $9 million team option, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

Nothing is official, but the Braves have until tomorrow to decide and it would appear the front office is leaning toward letting Rosario walk.

This shouldn't come as much of a surprise. Rosario was relegated to platoon duties in left field this season and spent much of the Braves' all-too-short postseason run glued to the bench. When Kevin Pillar is making the critical big-game blunders in your place, it's generally not a great sign.

Atlanta could, in theory, re-sign Rosario for less money. He was integral to the Braves' World Series run in 2021. There's a lot of love between player and fanbase, even after last season. Rosario's regular season production was mostly solid — .255/.305/.450 with 21 HR and 74 RBI in 478 AB — and he can still adequately defend in left field.

That said, an upgrade is in order. The Braves put together a historic offense last season, but left field was a glaring point of weakness in the playoffs. Atlanta should have no qualms about reaching deep into their pockets to maximize the current core's ability to win baseball games.

Here are a few potential left field replacements on the free agent market.

3. Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. was an important part of the Arizona Diamondbacks' deep postseason run. He arrived midseason via trade from the Toronto Blue Jays, slashing .261/.309/.463 with 24 home runs and 61 RBIs in a career-high 551 at-bats. He made his first All-Star appearance and became a fixture in the Diamondbacks' elite defensive outfield.

As the Braves look to replace Rosario, there should be a focus on balancing offensive competence with defense. Gurriel provides another powerful bat for the back half of the rotation, but perhaps more importantly, he's an elite glove. Ronald Acuña profiles as a relative weakness in right, but the combined defensive efforts of Gurriel and Michael Harris II would be a real boon for Atlanta.

Gurriel totaled two outs above average last season, which places him in the MLB's 75th percentile, per Baseball Savant.

In the postseason, Gurriel slashed .273/.290/.455 with three home runs, 11 RBIs, and 13 strikeouts in 66 at-bats. He came up with clutch hits in both the Philadelphia and the Texas series. The D-Backs ultimately fell short in the end, but Gurriel carried his weight at the highest level of competition. The Braves are planning another postseason push and should value veterans who have proven their mettle on that stage.