The Spring Training slate is set to begin in a matter of days, and we still have no idea what the Braves are going to look like. Freddie Freeman remains a free agent, but Atlanta appears to be in on a number of other players. Most recently, they’ve been linked to the powerful slugger Nelson Cruz.
Dodgers, Padres, Brewers, Braves and Nats appear to be finalists for DH extraordinaire Nelson Cruz. AL teams also lurking. @Feinsand pegged LA and SD as favorites
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 13, 2022
If the Braves land Cruz, he will surely fill the DH role, meaning Marcell Ozuna would either be playing left field permanently, or the Braves could be looking to trade him.
Contrary to popular belief, Ozuna wasn’t actually awful in the field last season, even if the sample size was small. It’s not ideal, but the offense he and Cruz would provide would more than make up for what Ozuna lacks on defense.
Cruz will be 41 next season, but his bat still possesses plenty of pop. He’s had at least 32 homers in every full season since 2014. Cruz will also likely be looking for a one-year deal, and it’s well-documented just how much Alex Anthopoulos loves handing out short-term contracts.
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