By Chad Jennings, David O’Brien and Ken Rosenthal
The Atlanta Braves added insurance, outfield depth and a famous surname by signing free agent Mike Yastrzemski to a two-year, $23 million contract Wednesday, a deal that includes a third-year $7 million team option with a $4 million buyout.
Yastrzemski, 35, the grandson of Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski, is a left-handed-hitting corner outfielder who ranks 42nd in the majors in wRC+ against right-handed pitching since his debut with the San Francisco Giants in 2019.
He’ll give the Braves some protection in case catcher Sean Murphy needs more time to heal from September hip surgery, as Yastrzemski can move to left field and Jurickson Profar can slide into DH duties.
Yastrzemski will get $9 million in 2026 and $10 million in 2027.
Welcome to Atlanta, Yaz! pic.twitter.com/lzJ2bzGm9E
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) December 11, 2025
A strong defender at the outfield corners, Yastrzemski can fill in to give superstar right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. occasional days off, and can make some starts in center field if needed.
He hit a combined .233 with 17 homers and a .735 OPS in 146 games last season with the Giants and Kansas City Royals, including 15 homers and an .809 OPS in 454 plate appearances against right-handers.
His grandfather was a Boston Red Sox icon, but the younger Yaz has made his own name as a righty-mashing outfielder. He had a 126 wRC+ against righties last season and played especially well after a trade deadline deal to the Royals.
He was listed at No. 35 on The Athletic’s Free Agent Big Board, where Tim Britton projected him to get a one-year, $11 million contract.
Yastrzemski nearly gave up on his own career during a slow climb through the minor leagues, but got a fresh opportunity with the Giants and proved he belonged in the majors.
“I appreciate every day that I’m here,” Yastrzemski said last summer.
Despite his famous last name, Yastrzemski was never a massive prospect. His grandfather’s team drafted Yastrzemski in the 36th round in 2009, but he chose to attend Vanderbilt instead of signing with the Red Sox, and ultimately signed with the Baltimore Orioles as a 14th-round pick in 2013.
Five years later, he was still bouncing between Double A and Triple A with no major-league opportunity in sight. He considered quitting before his wife, Paige, reminded him of a promise that he’d play until someone ripped the jersey off his back.
It was a new jersey that gave him a fresh opportunity.
Traded to the Giants in the spring of 2019, Yastrzemski made his big-league debut two months later at 28 and was an instant hit in San Francisco. He had 21 home runs as a rookie, then finished eighth in MVP voting in 2020.
According to Baseball Reference, he’s been worth between 2.0 WAR and 2.8 WAR each of his seven Major League seasons, a consistent source of production.
That consistency comes with a caveat. While Yastrzemski has been a top performer against right-handed pitching (.809 OPS in his career), he has struggled against lefties (.648 OPS), and those splits were especially pronounced in 2025, when he posted a meager .427 OPS against lefties.
Yastrzemski is a platoon outfielder, but he’s on the strong side of the platoon, providing power and plate discipline. Although he’s played some center, Yastrzemski has been mostly a right fielder with modest speed and a good arm.
He has a famous name, but Yastrzemski has had to earn his own keep.
“I appreciate every single day,” he said. “Even on the worst days, I can find a way to sit down and say, ‘You know what, I’d rather punch out four times in the big leagues than hit four homers in the minor leagues.’”