The Braves announced that outfielder Bryan De La Cruz has been signed to a non-guaranteed deal for the 2025 season. De La Cruz’s deal is specifically a split contract, not a minor league deal. The contract is an early birthday present for De La Cruz, who turns 28 years old tomorrow.
No stranger to the NL East, De La Cruz spent broke into the majors with the Marlins in 2021 and spent parts of the next four seasons in the Miami outfield. A part-time role turned into essentially everyday duty by the end of the 2022 campaign, and De La Cruz hit .263/.311/.420 with 37 homers over 1200 plate appearances for the Fish during the 2021-23 seasons.
Unfortunately, the production trended downward, from a 111 wRC+ in 219 PA in De La Cruz’s rookie season to a 99 in 2022, then a 90 in 2023, and down to a 77 wRC+ in 2024. De La Cruz hit 21 homers this past season but only with a .233/.271/.384 slash line in 622 combined PA with the Marlins and Pirates. The bulk of the struggles came after Pittsburgh acquired De La Cruz at the trade deadline, as De La Cruz hit only .200/.220/.294 in 168 PA with his new team.
The dropoff was so drastic that the Pirates opted to non-tender De La Cruz rather than pay him a projected $4MM salary in the first of three arbitration-eligible seasons. Given those three years of control and the fact that the Bucs gave up two prospects for De La Cruz at the deadline, it would’ve been understandable if the Pirates had kept De La Cruz around for another look, yet the $4MM price tag and his sub-replacement level play made the non-tender a justifiable call.
De La Cruz has essentially been a power-only player to this point in his career, and he has had consistently solid hard-contact numbers. However, making contact has been a struggle since De La Cruz has a 25% career strikeout rate, and he doesn’t often take walks. De La Cruz has experience at all three outfield positions and he has a good throwing arm but is considered a middling defender at best.
The non-guaranteed nature of the contract means that the Braves lose nothing by seeing what De La Cruz can do in Spring Training. If he can get himself on track at the plate and more consistently translate his power into steady production, the Braves suddenly have a controllable outfielder in the fold through the 2027 season. De La Cruz has two minor league option years remaining, adding more flexibility to Atlanta’s decision-making about whether or not to deploy him on the active roster.
The Braves’ need for outfield help is no secret. Ronald Acuna Jr.’s recovery from a torn ACL could stretch well into May, Jarred Kelenic wasn’t particularly productive in his first season in Atlanta, and Jorge Soler (though mostly a DH) was traded to the Giants in a salary dump right at the outset of the offseason. De La Cruz could ideally pair with Kelenic in a platoon in left field once Acuna is back, and perhaps might be viewed as a starter capable of holding the fort in right field in Acuna’s absence. That said, De La Cruz’s contract certainly won’t preclude the Braves from continuing to seek out a more clear-cut starting outfield option in the coming months.
When a guy has 1600 at bats and a negative career WAR someone isn’t doing something right.
Maybe smart GMs actually look beyond one dubious stat.
Just a thought.
Braves signing a bunch of guys to have on hand in case of injury served them well last year.
Saying WAR is “one stat” shows a bit of ignorance on your part.
Just a thought
Thinking that WAR has that much legitimacy within front offices or baseball development is naïve. It’s a stat that satiates keyboard GMs like us. If only scouting/development is a glance at his BR page.
Not saying there’s much to this signing, but why not give the new hitting coaches some projects to make names for themselves?
Maybe get your nose out of the spreadsheet with one stat concerning a fictional replacement and actually watch guys actually play once in a while.
Google non guaranteed while you’re at it. Reading is a skill.
Just a thought.
I have seen the guy play plenty. He’s exactly what WAR says he is a decent hitter who can’t play defense.
Like I said the guy has 1600 big league at bats and a negative career WAR.
I watched him play for the Pirates after the trade and he was awful. I known that awfulness is just one measure of performance but DLC made quite the awfulness impression.
he certainly knows how to swing and miss alot
he hits decently but can’t play defense.
if only teams had a spot in. their lineup for guys who can’t really play defense. Hopefully the league will catch on to this concept
WAR isn’t absolutely everythung
If it was everything then pete Alonso would be getting 2 years 20 million instead of 100+
The power and run production is there. He’s just inconsistent.
He just can’t play defense or run the bases.
Soto can’t play defense or run the bases either. Apparently it doesn’t matter to some teams.
Soto is really really really good at hitting.
De La Cruz……isnt……….
He was pretty consistent for the Pirates – he sucked every time he took the field. Maybe he was trying to escape.
@bita. The difference is 763.5 million. Just let that sink in. Wait why is this a bad deal? you’re arguing for no reason with no substance behind it, Besides the drug residue covering your brain.
Soto knows the strike zone, and draws a lot of walks.
DLC does
neither
@TheMan3. I can’t even say comparing Soto to dlc is like comparing apples to oranges. I guess it only makes sense because they’re both Dominican and about the same age.
Thanks for this post. Best laugh all day.
A Braves fan by any chance? Signing a bunch of crap did nothing fact help them last year. AA is the most overrated GM/President in MLB with a long line of media sycophants continually kidding his butt. Third place and no playoffs again.
As a Marlins fan that saw him play over a few years, his defense declined once he grew into his body. As a bat, he’s nothing special, but he’s a guy that can help a team win. The Braves got a low-risk/high-reward guy in DLC. And with their team, DLC being able to play without the same pressures he had in Miami and Pittsburgh, this may end up being a move people look at later on as a big get. DLC was a key part to the Marlins 2023 playoff season.
As for the guys blabbing about his WAR, I’d take DLC back in a heartbeat. Anyone that has seen him play as much as us Marlins fans have, will tell you that his WAR is another case in which WAR doesn’t match what you see on the field when you actually watch the game.
You act as if they just signed him to a guaranteed multi year deal.
I don’t care what he costs. He’s proven he isn’t any good.
You’re obviously dense.
@getrealgone2. Apparently I’m dense too. Just realized BITA. Stands for black pink in the area, and yes he’s a troll.
I see what you did there lol
So a troll is anyone who doesn’t kiss the Braves ass and worship ahole AA? So Georgia.
@inside out. Can you show a example where I did? It’s a non guaranteed deal, and them/they goes on every article saying this is a overpay. The braves sucks or any team for that matter did a horrible signing with nothing to back it up. That’s the definition of a troll. Minor league signings are low risk moves that everyone team does so get over it.
He’s got some pop, so teams are naturally interested. He just doesn’t walk enough and his defense is pretty awful. He’s best suited as a DH/PH, but so many guys are…
This I can agree with.
Bargain Bin Braves
You don’t know what non guaranteed means, do you?
The definition of a bargain.
@metsin4. He essentially replaces soler for 11.5 less. Braves have to do these kind of moves. Guessing if he makes the roster it’s probably 1.5 guaranteed.
You do know they were something like 8th in payroll last year, right?
Top 6 in payroll, yet we have more talent leaving than coming back in for several seasons now…How is this argument still being brought up as it somehow justifies that?
And the payroll will keep going up. That’s what happens when you sign everyone to extensions and limit your long term flexibility.Now they have injury issues they are having a hard time replacing those injured players with good players.If they are all 100% healthy then they are as good as anyone but the odds of that happening are practically zero.
as opposed to the Mets with a boomer core? sure thing buddy. Alonso, lindor, McNeil, and all the sp are past their prime. braves have a dynasty in the making, Cohen is just playing rent a player
Anyone else not receiving notifications lately? My notification settings are set as they always are
I haven’t been getting notifications since October. I emailed Tim about it. He responded with the app having a bug for Android phones. No timetable for repair though.
I haven’t been getting notifications for days. Been trying to fix it but I guess it’s effecting everyone. iPhone user here
I haven’t got notifications in years actually. Updated, un-installed and re-installed etc. and nothing. Forgot it was even an option lol….The App is definitely not Android friendly and believe they said they have no plans to enhance it due to costs
De La Cruz has options, so the Braves can keep him at Gwinnett. Purely a depth move
Unless Kelenic improves at the plate, de la Cruz may be a better lineup option, then use kelenic as a late inning defensive replacement
knowing the braves confederates, they’ll much prefer q-anon kelenic
He was showing a bit of promise last year but really tanked last year after he was traded to the pirates. He’s not exactly a good pickup, doesn’t get on base at all but does have a bit of pop and for whatever reason seems to hit really well against the Braves, so might as well remove that element. But low cost low risk move here. Perhaps he turns into something and a decent bench piece? If not, really no skin off the Braves back
“He was showing a bit of promise last year but really tanked last year after he was traded to the Pirates.”
There’s your answer! I can’t wait to see if BDLC ends up improving with competent help from the Braves.
My guess is they think he wasn’t developed well enough, and after looking at film, think they can do something about that.
Happens a lot, but they have a good track record.
Who?
Kelenic
Whit Merrifield, who they dumped?
Soler, who they dumped, twice?
Ramon Laureano who they dumped?
Cano?
Guillorme?
Sean Murphy?
Orlando Arcia?
Duvall?
And on
And on
I was wondering when they’d counter the Mets signing Soto. Good signing Bravos… you’re right back in it.
Better hope this statement doesn’t come back to haunt you. We had another Mets fan poster on these boards a couple years ago that would make statements like this, and it always burned him.
Best not disparage other fan bases, they are rooting for their guys too. The exception being those who are quite rude.
I have enough to worry about with my own fan base who thinks mediocrity should be accepted after 35 years with no playoff wins.
Mets stink, always have and always will. Does not matter who owns them. The few World Series they were in were like the proverbial blind squirrel finding a nut every now and then, or just a fluke.
Nothing but crickets from AA this off-season and now this?? I was hoping that he was spending all of this time trying to find a competent Manager to guide this team. Snit’s FLIP-A-COIN Bullpen management shows that he has no clue what he is doing. Time for a change! Bring in Mark DeRosa or A.J. Pierzynski! …Now waiting for all of the Snitker defenders! Why doesn’t Snitker have a Snickers commercial? (Snickering Silence!)
When he eats one he turns into Bobby Cox?
I wo’t be defending him. Haven’t yet. I appreciate his service to the Braves, but they won the World Series in spite of him.
He still makes decisions based on out-dated ‘assumed’ splits. Or maybe it’s his stat guys telling him, but I get so tired of him running outr pitchers with reverse splits in natural splits moments. He seems to still think every single RHP fares better againsdt RHB’s and same for left. I guess I will come to his defense in one way .. almost half the teams in the majors pull the same stupid stuff.
I have also never been a fan of his constant lineup tinkering. Put your best hitters up top and let them figure things out while getting AB’s. Sliding one back to 6th or 7th ‘until they get going’ is just detrimental given the Braves are top heavy and you are alos limiting chances for those that are slumping.
Granted, it’s easy to be an armchair manager, but with Snit it’s a daily frustration sort of thing.
Soler went from Braves to Angels.
regardless of his D, getting a potential 20-25 HR bat with a non-guarantee is a good move for the braves.
and people talk about the Ks but his rate is not that bad vs many other players who play FT