4 potential 2023 World Series winners the Braves should sign
By Josh Wilson
The Atlanta Braves were a massive disappointment this postseason. Winning just one playoff game is unacceptable for the offense that was heralded as quite possibly the deepest in MLB history. Atlanta must make changes this offseason instead of sitting on its hands, a route they more or less took last season after being knocked out by the Phillies.
The key areas of need are starting pitching and left field. Eddie Rosario could be retained, but the team has a club option and can do far better than his wildly up-and-down bat in free agency this winter. The team could lose Charlie Morton to retirement or leaving his option on the table, but would be wise to pull in a new starting pitcher either way.
The World Series is a great time to get a look at who can perform at the highest level when the lights are brightest, perhaps bringing experience to Atlanta that will help from a complete October shutdown. Snagging players from the two best teams with deep postseason experience would be wise on Alex Anthopoulos's part.
If he scouts these teams, these are the players he should be honing in on.
LF Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Diamondbacks
Lourdes Gurriel at first glance appears to be an only marginal upgrade over Eddie Rosario in left field, looking just at their 2023 stats. There are a few reasons why he's worth considering even if his ceiling might be lower than what Rosario was in 2020 for the Braves.
For one, most of the MLB seems to need a left field upgrade this offseason. Few high-quality starters are going to be available at a tenable price, and Gurriel very well may prove to be one of the most cost-effective options.
Secondly, he beats out Rosario in a crucial area: Consistency. Gurriel has never had an OPS+ lower than 100 (meaning he has always been, at worst, an average hitter) whereas Rosario has had three below-average seasons in the last five years.
You'll lose a bit of fielding effectiveness with Gurriel compared to Rosario, but my guess is the plate production will more than backfill the slight hindrance in defensive ability. Let's be honest, it's not like Rosario was an elite defender, either, marked just slightly above average in outs above average.