Rangers' Robbie Grossman: Works to adjust mechanics
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Grossman worked on his swing from the left side of the plate during the offseason, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.
The switch-hitting Grossman's history suggested he was an ideal candidate to platoon in left field. That history was reinforced last season when he hit .320/.436/.443 against left-handed pitching and .163/.253/.256 against righties. He understood a change was needed if he wanted to play every day and worked with hitting coach Tim Hyers to minimize an exaggerated leg kick against right-handers. In the minimal sample size that is spring training, Grossman is 8-for-26 (.308) with a .900 OPS against the righties, and he's been even better against lefties. That work has earned him the everyday job in left field.
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Rangers' Robbie Grossman: Will be primary LF to open year
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Rangers manager Bruce Bochy confirmed that Grossman will be the primary left fielder to open the season for the Rangers, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.
It's not a huge surprise, but it's worth noting. Grossman was signed to a one-year deal in the offseason, and the switch-hitting outfielder has been excellent in the Cactus League with a 1.167 OPS and two homers over his first 38 plate appearances. With Grossman the everyday option in left, Brad Miller will likely rotate at designated hitter with Jonah Heim and Mitch Garver while also occasionally spelling Grossman in left.
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Rangers' Robbie Grossman: Goes deep in spring opener
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Grossman went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run during Friday's spring game against the Royals.
Grossman took Kansas City starter Daniel Lynch deep on a ball up in the zone. With a lefty throwing for the Royals, the switch-hitting Grossman got the start in left field. He mashed southpaws in 2022 (.320/.436/.443) but was less productive against righties. As such, Grossman's in a position for a possible platoon in left field. Texas manager Bruce Bochy noted earlier this spring that he's open to a platoon in left, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.
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Rangers' Robbie Grossman: Reaches deal with Texas
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Grossman agreed to a contract with the Rangers on Friday evening, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
ESPN's Buster Olney reported Friday morning that Grossman was in talks with Texas, and now there is a deal in place. Joel Sherman of the New York Post has it as a one-year, $2 million pact with another $3 million available in performance bonuses. The 33-year-old immediately jumps to the top of a long list of left-field options for the Rangers, even after slumping to a .209/.310/.311 slash line in 129 games (477 plate appearances) last season between Detroit and Atlanta -- Grossman posted a .772 OPS with 23 home runs and 20 stolen bases in 156 games for the Tigers in 2021. He's a switch-hitter but tends to fare better against left-handed pitching, so he could ultimately platoon with Josh Smith, Brad Miller or Bubba Thompson, all of whom were better against righties than Grossman last season.
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Braves' Robbie Grossman: Misses second straight
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Grossman isn't starting Tuesday against the Nationals.
Grossman -- batting .207 in September -- will get another day to stretch his legs Tuesday. While he watches from the dugout, Eddie Rosario will fill in for him in left field and bat seventh.
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Braves' Robbie Grossman: Hits bench Monday
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Grossman is out of the lineup for Monday's game in Washington, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
With Ronald Acuna (back) returning from a four-game absence and with Eddie Rosario swinging a hot bat of late, Grossman will head to the bench while the former two players fill out the corner-outfield spots. Grossman is slashing .207/.299/.397 in September and could end up moving into a short-side platoon role if Rosario continues to capitalize on his opportunities in the games to come.
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Braves' Robbie Grossman: Takes seat Monday
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Grossman isn't starting Monday's game against the Nationals.
The veteran switch-hitter rests after tallying a home run, a double and two RBI in Sunday's game versus Philadelphia. Eddie Rosario slots into the lineup for Monday's series opener.
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Braves' Robbie Grossman: Homers in victory
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Grossman went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and two RBI in Sunday's 5-2 win over Philadelphia.
Grossman knocked an RBI double in the third inning before going deep in the seventh. He's collected multiple hits in three of his last eight games and has now gone 25-for-106 (.236) with five long balls and 21 RBI in 36 games since joining Atlanta. On the year, Grossman is slashing .214/.317/.319 with 25 extra-base hits through 119 contests.
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Braves' Robbie Grossman: Heads to bench
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Grossman will sit Saturday against the Phillies.
Grossman hits the bench after starting nine straight games. He was needed in an everyday role while Ronald Acuna's knee issues limited him to designated hitter duty, but Acuna is now able play the field again, so Grossman could find himself on the bench more frequently going forward. He managed a .943 OPS with two home runs and a steal over that nine-game stretch, however, a performance which should prevent his playing time from being cut too significantly.
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Braves' Robbie Grossman: Three hits, RBI in loss
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Grossman went 3-for-3 with and RBI while also getting caught stealing once in Wednesday's 4-1 loss to the Giants.
Grossman provided all the offense for Atlanta on Wednesday, ripping an RBI single off Carlos Rodon in the top of the third frame before getting picked off trying to steal second a couple batters later. The three-hit effort was his second over his last six games, a stretch during which he's hitting .300 with two homers, six RBI, three runs scored and a stolen base.
Grossman went 3-for-4 with a solo home run, an additional RBI and a stolen base in a 6-4 win against Seattle on Friday.
Grossman singled in the first inning, singled home a run and stole second in the fourth, and tacked on a solo home run in the sixth. The 32-year-old was batting just 2-for-27 across his last 10 games prior to Friday's outburst, though he's been active on the bases with three thefts in his last 13 contests. Grossman is slashing .209/.316/.302 with five home runs, 35 runs, 38 RBI and six stolen bases in 112 games.
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Braves' Robbie Grossman: Losing work to Ozuna
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Grossman is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Marlins.
Grossman is on the bench against a right-handed pitcher (Pablo Lopez) for the second day in a row, perhaps signaling that he's moving into a reserve role in the Atlanta outfield. Meanwhile, Marcell Ozuna, who went 3-for-7 with a double in the first two games of the series, will draw his third consecutive start in left field Sunday and may have supplanted Grossman atop the depth chart.
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Braves' Robbie Grossman: Takes seat Saturday
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Grossman isn't starting Saturday against the Marlins.
Grossman is getting a breather after he went 0-for-8 with two walks and three strikeouts over the last three games. Marcell Ozuna will start in left field and bat eighth.
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Braves' Robbie Grossman: Swipes fourth bag
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Grossman went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, an RBI and a stolen base in Wednesday's 14-2 rout of the Pirates.
Hitting ninth and getting the start in left field, Grossman carved out more than his share of the production on the day, including his fourth steal of the year. The veteran switch hitter has seized a starting role with Atlanta, and in 17 games for his new club, he's batting .260 (13-for-50) with two doubles, two homers, one steal, seven runs and eight RBI.
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Braves' Robbie Grossman: Gaining traction in everyday role
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Grossman will start in right field and bat ninth in Sunday's game against the Astros.
Grossman has settled into a near-everyday role of late with Atlanta phasing out Marcell Ozuna and, to a lesser extent, William Contreras as regulars in the lineup. The trade-deadline pickup from Detroit will make his sixth consecutive start Sunday after going 4-for-16 with two home runs, two walks, five RBI and an additional run across the last five games.
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Braves' Robbie Grossman: Another home run Wednesday
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Grossman went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run in Wednesday's 9-7 loss to the Mets.
The trade-deadline acquisition hit a huge three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh to move the game to 6-5 and give Atlanta a chance at victory. Grossman has now left the yard in back-to-back games and is looking like an upgrade over Marcell Ozuna, who has struggled mightily this season and is losing playing time to both Grossman and Eddie Rosario.
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Braves' Robbie Grossman: Swats first homer with new club
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Grossman went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 5-0 win over the Mets.
Getting the start in left field and batting ninth, Grossman took R.J. Alvarez deep in the third inning to open the scoring on the night. The homer was his third of the season and his first with Atlanta in nine games, and the veteran outfielder has gone a respectable 6-for-22 (.273) with two doubles and a 4:7 BB:K since joining his new team at the trade deadline.
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Braves' Robbie Grossman: Sits after two straight starts
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Grossman is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Red Sox.
Grossman, whom Atlanta acquired from Detroit on Aug. 1, had picked up starts in three of the past four games in the corner outfield, going 1-for-9 with two walks, a double and an RBI. The switch-hitting Grossman is expected to serve as a short-side platoon option for Atlanta, with Eddie Rosario and Ronald Acuna typically seeing the bulk of the starts at either corner-outfield spot.
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Braves' Robbie Grossman: Goes to Atlanta
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Atlanta acquired Grossman from Detroit on Monday in exchange for left-hander Kris Anglin, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
After one season and part of another as a full-time starter in the outfield for Detroit, Grossman may have to settle for a short-side platoon role as he makes the move to Atlanta. He'll make for a natural partner in left field with the lefty-hitting Eddie Rosario, given the switch-hitting Grossman's success versus southpaws this season. In 96 plate appearances against left-handers, Grossman owns a .999 OPS.
