Veteran right fielder Jose Bautista has signed a minor league deal with Atlanta Braves, the team has announced on Wednesday. Bautista will play third base for the Braves if he earns a spot on the 40-man roster. In that case, the 37-year-old will receive one-year, $1 million deal.
“The hope is he shows he’s capable of being a good player who can help us win games,” – said Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos. “If that happens, he’ll come up and play third base for us. Hopefully, things work out.“
The two previously worked together from 2009 to 2015, when Anthopoulos served as GM for Toronto Blue Jays and Bautista was the team’s biggest star.
“There are certain things you know you’re going to get with Jose,” – Anthopoulos added. “He’s going to be in tremendous shape. He’s going to work hard and study hard. He comes to win, and he plays to win.“
Jose Bautista played his best baseball with the Blue Jays, earning six consecutive All-Star appearances (2010–2015), and being the league’s home run leader on two occasions (2010, 2011). He also has two Hank Aaron Awards and three Silver Slugger honors. During the last two seasons, however, Bautista’s production significantly dropped, finishing 2017 with .203 batting average, 23 home runs, and 65 RBIs.
Still, the Braves hope Bautista can turn around his luck and give a contribution to the team.
“I learned long ago, you don’t bet against this guy,” – said Anthopoulos. “He’s very proud and very determined. He’s somebody I’ve always said would play into his 40s. I can’t speak to what happened last year with him. He’ll be the first person to tell you he didn’t play well. He’s very accountable and expects more of himself. By taking this deal, he’s made the decision to bet on himself.“
