Dodgers: Oft-Injured LA Outfielder Signs with NL Rival Braves
Fans of the 2022 Dodgers roster — those that cared about each and every one of the 51 players who suited up in LA last season — will be gutted by this one. West Hills’ own Kevin Pillar will not be returning to the Dodgers in 2023 after agreeing to a minor league deal with the rival Braves.
Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors was the first to report the news.
Pillar signed with LA during spring training last year but failed to make a statement during Cactus League play. Ultimately, he was assigned to the Triple-A Oklahoma City club where he put together a nice season slashing .315/.398/.605 over 42 games.
The Dodgers called him up to the big club in May where, after a 1-for-12 start (.083), he injured his shoulder on a slide into third base. He underwent surgery for the fractured shoulder and was expected to miss the rest of the season. However, being the gamer he is, he completed his rehab early and ended up making it back for the final 6 games of the AAA season.
Over parts of 10 major league seasons, the veteran outfielder owns a .259 batting average with 97 career home runs and a .704 OPS across 1,033 games. His best years came with the Toronto Blue Jays who he spent the first 7 years of his career with.
For Pillar, it was a short lived homecoming with LA but now he gets a chance at some playing time with the Atlanta Braves over in the NL East.