3 Braves players we’re glad are gone, 2 we wish had stayed

After losing Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson in back-to-back offseasons, Atlanta Braves fans are thrilled that most of their roster from last season’s 107-win team looks exactly the same. The core is still here, and most of it is locked in for the long haul thanks to Alex Anthopoulos’ wizardry.

While most of Atlanta’s roster looks the same, Anthopoulos did make several moves on the margins to make the 2024 Braves arguably even better than they were last season. Making moves requires letting others go, whether it’s via trade or in free agency.

Some players Braves fans are happy to see go elsewhere, but there are two in particular they wish hung around a little longer.

5. Braves fans won’t miss Eddie Rosario’s streakiness

Eddie Rosario became a fan favorite when he played a huge role in leading Atlanta to a World Series win in 2021. After being acquired in a midseason trade with the Guardians, Rosario posted a .903 OPS to allow Atlanta to squeak into the playoffs. In the NLCS, he had a remarkable 14 hits in 25 at-bats with three home runs and nine RBI, winning the NLCS MVP in the process.

The kind of hot streak Rosario had in that NLCS is something Braves fans came accustomed to. The outfielder can do tremendous damage when he’s swinging a good bat, but when he’s struggling, he can be a non-factor. That kind of streakiness can be frustrating.

This past season Rosario’s numbers were solid. He slashed .255/.305/.450 with 21 home runs and 74 RBI in 142 games as Atlanta’s primary left fielder. While the overall numbers were decent, Rosario only had two months with an OPS above .700. He was on fire in June as he posted a 1.115 OPS, and was also great in August, posting a .942 OPS.

Jarred Kelenic, Rosario’s replacement, might not be as proven as Rosario, but he has a much higher ceiling and is more of a complete player than the offense-first Rosario.

Braves fans will forever remember the memories, but they have every reason to believe they’ve upgraded from the inconsistent Rosario who remains a free agent into March with no clear ending in sight.

4. Jesse Chavez will forever be a Braves legend

The career of Jesse Chavez is one die-hard Braves fans will always remember. He’s a pitcher who despite appearing for nine different MLB teams in his 16-year career, will always be known as a Brave.

Chavez has had four separate stints with Atlanta and became a fan favorite over time. While his numbers with other teams have been less than impressive, Chavez always pitches well when he puts on a Braves uniform. The proof is in the pudding.

In 2021, Chavez posted a 2.14 ERA in 30 appearances for Atlanta just one year removed from posting an ERA around 7.00 with the Rangers. The following season saw Chavez struggle with the Cubs before being traded to the Braves. He pitched well with Atlanta but was traded to the Angels at the deadline. He struggled mightily with the Halos to the point where he was released and signed once again with the Braves. Of course, Chavez wound up putting up a sparkling 2.72 ERA that season for the Braves while putting up awful numbers for the Cubs and Angels.

This past season the right-hander threw the ball better than he ever has arguably, as he put up a 1.56 ERA in 36 innings and 34.2 innings of work. Unfortunately, Chavez wound up missing substantial time due to injury in 2023 which is presumably why he had to settle for a minor league deal this offseason with the White Sox.

Chavez may be gone for now, but it wouldn’t be surprising in the slightest to see the 40-year-old make one last run of it in Atlanta at some point in 2024. It’d be a fitting end to a career Braves fans adore.

3. Brad Hand did not make a good first impression as an Atlanta Brave

The Braves made a pair of trades with the Rockies at the 2023 trade deadline, acquiring Pierce Johnson in the first one and Brad Hand soon after. Johnson turned out to be a revelation for Atlanta, pitching like one of the best relievers in baseball down the stretch. Hand, on the other hand (wink wink), did not enjoy the same success.

The southpaw was in the midst of a down year with the Rockies, but it was safe to attribute some of that to him pitching half the time at Coors Field. However, things only got worse for Hand in Atlanta who posted a 7.50 ERA in 20 appearances with the Braves in the regular season and allowed a run in his only inning in the postseason.

The Braves found Hand’s replacement rather quickly by trading for Aaron Bummer and with Tyler Matzek returning as well and guys like Dylan Lee and Ray Kerr hanging around, Atlanta has no need for Hand who remains a free agent.

The Braves have one of the best bullpens in baseball without Hand involved, and happen to have a ton of depth from the left side as well.

2. Braves fans will miss Kevin Pillar’s bat against left-handed pitching

The Braves were remarkably healthy last season and did not need to use their bench much as a result. Kevin Pillar was used more than any Braves bench player, and it’s easy to see why.

The veteran outfielder remained a solid bench option in 2023 for Atlanta. His numbers don’t jump off the page by any means, but he could still defend, run, and hit well against left-handed pitching. Pillar posted a solid .734 OPS against left-handed pitching, making him an ideal platoon partner with Eddie Rosario who had just a .703 OPS against southpaws.

While the Braves roster is obviously stacked, their bench is a bit suspect. Travis d’Arnaud is arguably the best backup catcher in the game, but the rest of the bench leaves a lot to be desired. As of now, their fourth outfielder will likely be one of Forrest Wall or J.P. Martinez, two rather underwhelming options.

It’s understandable for Atlanta to see what they have with younger options such as Wall or Martinez as a fourth outfielder, but Pillar was productive in a fourth outfielder role for Atlanta last offseason. He signed a minor league deal to join Jesse Chavez in Chicago.

Braves fans won’t miss Pillar as much if they sign a different outfielder by Opening Day, but if Ronald Acuña Jr. is injured and the Braves start Wall or Martinez in their outfield on Opening Day, a segment of Braves fans will be wishing Pillar was out there.

1. Braves fans are happy Yonny Chirinos is gone

The Braves claiming Yonny Chirinos off of waivers in July made sense as Atlanta dealt with a bevy of starting pitching injuries and had Mike Soroka struggling in their rotation. Chirinos’ numbers with the Rays were far from inspiring, but he had been a solid pitcher in the past, making him a decent arm for Atlanta to try out as they looked to wrap up the National League’s top seed.

Unfortunately for Chirinos and the Braves, he just couldn’t put it together. The right-hander made just five starts for the Braves and struggled mightily, posting a 9.27 ERA in 22.1 innings of work. The Braves did somehow win four of his five starts, but he could thank their historically great offense for that.

Chirinos wound up getting DFA’d by Atlanta when they claimed Penn Murfee off of waivers earlier this offseason. With a stout rotation in place as well as guys like A.J. Smith-Shawver and Hurston Waldrep waiting in the wings as depth, they had no need to keep Chirinos around anyway.

Hopefully Chirinos can get back to the pitcher he was in 2018 and 2019 with the Rays, but he’s been a shell of himself since. Perhaps a return to Florida with the Marlins is what will get Chirinos back to form after dealing with injuries.

This article was originally published on fansided.com as 3 Braves players we’re glad are gone, 2 we wish had stayed.