Intrigue of the Atlanta Braves That Landed Them Mike Yastrzemski

An interest brought on by a longtime fascination with the team and a smooth discussion process paved the path to Yastrzemski joining the Atlanta Braves

A longtime intrigue with the Braves organization helped pave the way to him landing in Atlanta | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Mike Yastrzemski is now a member of the Atlanta Braves. He’s been welcomed to the team and the media as of Thursday afternoon. In a way, the arrival of the grandson of a Boston Red Sox legend can be seen as a long time coming. 

His father, the late Carl Michael Yastrzemski Jr., spent time in the Atlanta Braves organization in the early 1980s and developed a relationship with a legendary manager on the team. The roots go back deep. 

“Every time the Braves came through Fenway, we’d always go say hi to Bobby Cox because he knew him,” Yastrzemski said on Thursday. “And so I have these long-term memories of rooting for the Braves from afar...the Red Sox were my team, but I always followed the Braves as my National League team.” 

Chipper and Andruw Jones were two of the players he was a fan of and idolized growing up. He noted Andruw’s abilities in center field. It’s a history that drew him in beyond the connection his family already had. 

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“Those were the type of plays I dreamed of making one day,” he said. “So, the appeal of the history is the big thing for me, because I know that they’ve got a great staff. They’ve got great ownership and an unbelievable front office. But I know they have a great history of players that I know are still around and willing to step in and help out and bring in some great information.”

He was intrigued by the Braves early, and sure enough, the team shared that intrigue. They were hot in the pursuit of him. 

Talks went back about two weeks, and they kept progressing. Yastrzemski indicated that they would always call back significantly quicker than they had planned to. The Braves worked quickly to make it happen, and it worked in their favor. 

“There was constant conversation,” he said. “And those guys were first class. They were great to have conversation and to go back and forth with.”

The eagerness made him feel wanted. While he didn’t say this specifically, for a 35-year-old outfielder who spent significant time in the minors already, that has to feel pretty good. There is a team that feels he brings value to the table. 

Yastrzemski will get to play different positions across the field, including taking part in rotating at the designated hitter spot. He provides a left-handed bat who performs well against right-handers. He had an .809 OPS against right-handers, and the Braves as a whole had a .721 OPS in this situation. It’s a modest boost that can make a difference. 

It’s a chance to forge a strong partnership over at least two seasons. While it doesn’t provide insight into what else is coming, it provides a better idea of how the lineup can improve this season. Getting to be part of that is what Yastrzemski is eager to be part of.