The Atlanta Braves have a pretty huge hole to fill, as Ron Washington has left their third-base line in favor of another managerial opportunity. Washington let it be known he was interested in another chance at skipper, as he was floated in Houston Astros circles before eventually taking the job in Anaheim.
Washington brings with him immense experience and an impressive resume. He led the Texas Rangers to two pennants before establishing an impeccable culture with the Braves. In an interview with David O'Brien of The Athletic (subscription required), Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos discussed what losing Washington means for Atlanta.
"I'm going to look back on this in my career, that I'm honored I got a chance to work with him," Anthopoulos said, per O'Brien. "He's everything you could want. He deserves the opportunity. He's excited. Obviously, I'm excited for him. It's a huge loss for us. And I emphasize that in caps, bold, italicized, all of it. A huge, huge void."
Unfortunately for Anthopoulos and the Braves, Washington was so beloved in the clubhouse there are plenty of pending free agents (and trade targets) who would love to play for him.
Eddie Rosario could follow Ron Washington to the Angels
Eddie Rosario is an intriguing option for the Angels outfield, as signing him could allow the likes of Mike Trout to move to DH, thus liming his injury risk. Assuming Los Angeles does lose Shohei Ohtani this offseason, Trout moving out of the outfield and into a position with a far less likelihood of injury makes all the sense in the world. Rosario is a possible answer there -- he has experience in multiple outfield spots, and at the very least would serve as a potential platoon bat.
Rosario is very familiar with Washington, and the Braves just declined his $9 million option, making him a free agent. Back in 2021, it was Rosario who played hero along with so many others to help bring the Braves a World Series. That kind of experience -- as well as the ability to help Washington implement his clubhouse culture as a former Braves veteran -- could be exactly what the new Angels skipper needs.
Vaughn Grissom is a possible trade candidate for the Angels
Vaughn Grissom and Ron Washington have an excellent relationship dating back to last winter, when the then-Braves assistant worked with Grissom defensively in hopes of making him a long-term replacement for Dansby Swanson. As it turns out, that wasn't really necessary as Orlando Arcia emerged as an All-Star at short. Now, Grissom could be on the outs if Anthopoulos cannot find a position for him to play on this Braves roster.
The Angels are a team with far more holes to fill. Grissom's relationship with Washington is a good one, and Wash believes he has the potential to be a special player when given consistent opportunities.
"When they talked about maybe they wouldn't be bringing Dansby back, I just wanted to make sure with every option we had, we could do something with it," Washington said at the time. "This kid is talented. I just felt if I could spend some time with him over the winter, we can get him ahead of the curve. And believe me, just watch. Just watch."
The Braves could choose to move Grissom to right field and replace Rosario internally. That would remove him as trade bait. But assuming Anthopoulos decides to replace Rosario via free agency or trade, Grissom could be headed elsewhere.
If the Braves are willing to trade Travis d'Arnaud, Angels are a suitor
The Braves signed Travis d'Arnaud to a contract extension that runs through next season just a few months back to take him off the free agent market this winter. d'Arnaud was used frequently as a backup catcher and even DH in relief of Marcell Ozuna. However, he's an embarrassment of riches behind the plate and, ultimately, expendable.
If the Angels were able to offer up some real MLB talent in return, d'Arnaud would be an upgrade behind the plate in Anaheim. Logan O'Hoppe is fine, but d'Arnaud is a borderline All-Star at his best. He can lead a pitching staff and offers a steady bat when given regular opportunities. He and Sean Murphy make for the best catching duo in the sport at this moment, but Washington and the Angels front office should try and break that pair apart.
Anthopoulos values d'Arnaud, as his veteran presence provides more to the Braves beyond just his production. d'Arnaud has been with the team for years and is a respected member of the clubhouse. That's exactly why Washington should target him, along with the obvious on-field upgrade.
Trading for d'Arnaud would not be cheap, as good catchers are always valuable, but it's worth a shot.