Universal DH may mean older stars or maybe not

If the universal designated hitter returns to the National League for good next season as many people believe, don’t be looking for the role to be filled with prototypical aging superstars who no longer play a position.

While some teams might need to do some adjusting to fill a DH roster spot, many other clubs will roll right into the new era using a number of players whose bats can stay in the lineup as a DH while they get a rest from playing the field.

It’s just that some general managers wouldn’t mind knowing sooner rather than later as they begin putting together rosters for next season. With labor uncertainty looming, the universal DH likely will be one of the last items determined in a new collective bargaining agreement as part of a compromise between owners and the players’ association during negotiations.

One of those GMS is Alex Anthopoulos of the World Series champion Atlanta Braves.

The Braves acquired four outfielders in July after star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. suffered a season-ending knee injury. Three of those players — Joc Pederson, Eddie Rosario and Series MVP Jorge Soler — are free agents, and the DH uncertainty might affect how many the Braves try to bring back or replace.

“We know that we have (Adam) Duvall and Acuña under control. So I would think we are likely to sign or trade for some type of outfielder. But I’m not sure yet, I guess,” Anthopoulos said. “I think we’re waiting to see how some things go. Is there going to be a DH or not? Things like that.

“I think we have to assume, like anything, like we did last year, right now, we deal with it with the rules that we have.”

If the DH does come to the NL for good — it was used for the 2020 pandemicshortened season — teams believe there will be several ways to fill the position.

“I think if you can have a David Ortiz, every team in baseball will take a guy like that, right?” Anthopoulos said. “And if not, then people like to move guys in an out and so on, so it all depends. I think just like anything else, I think it all depends on the player.”

Anthopoulous wasn’t the only executive to mention Ortiz, the former Boston Red Sox star. Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer was an assistant GM in Boston for several seasons as Ortiz became a superstar.

“When you have a guy like that, it makes it really easy,” Hoyer said. “If you don’t, it’s a question of whether you have someone just locked in or whether you rotate guys through to get off their legs.”

Washington Nationals GM Mike Rizzo doesn’t anticipate having to scramble if the universal DH is adopted. “There’s a lot of ways to skin a cat, and you can build your roster whatever way you see fit with the personnel that you have,” Rizzo said. “There’s a whole bunch of different ways to attack the DH question.”