You know the phrase, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?” That’s exactly what the Atlanta Braves are doing by bringing back local hero Jorge Soler.
For those who don’t remember, he was a midsession acquisition by the Braves during the 2021 deadline. That was the year the Braves made their rather shocking run to the World Series, where, you guessed it, Soler wound up winning World Series MVP honors and essentially iced things in Game 6 with this train tracks shot in Houston.
So far this season in the Bay Area, Soler is hitting .240 in 341 at-bats, smacking 12 home runs in 93 games played. This gives him an OPC+ of 116, which as a primary DH who has yet to play the field at all this year, you’ll take that for a bat that’s in the heart of the order.
He has struck out 97 times so far, which is about normal for Soler. However, in a Braves lineup that is beyond banged up, he’s vital protection for Austin Riley and Matt Olson and is going to pair up nicely with former DH Marcel Ozuna, who will shift into playing a full-time RF again.
Ozuna, who’s in year one of a three-year, 42 million-dollar deal, will look to make himself at home in Atlanta, hoping for some Deja vu for the Braves.
Atlanta is also receiving a former friend in RP Luke Jackson to give the bullpen some more leeway, as it’s been very taxed thus far.
Jackson, who’s earning 6.5 million this year, has a 7 million dollar club option for next year. So far in 2024, he hasn’t been great pitching in 36 games, with a 4-2 record and a 5.40 ERA. He has struck out 33 in 35 innings and only walked 15 batters, but the FIP is still at 4.46. It's not pretty, but the front office hopes the sub-2 ERA he had in 2021 when the Braves won the World Series, will return.
The Giants are getting LHP Tyler Matzek and minor league infielder Sabin Ceballos (who’s the Braves No. 17 ranked prospect) in return, along with having to pay none of Soler’s and Jackson’s contracts. Matzek has simply sucked in 10 innings this season which shows in his 9.90 ERA. He’s been good in the past but is sitting on the 60-day IL as we speak, so only time can tell if he suits up for the Bay Area or not. Ceballos can play both RF and 3B, and at his age 21 season, he was hitting .259 with 3 home runs and 30 RBIs in 84 games in High A Rome. He’s still a few years away from being major league-ready, but he’s at least something of a return for the Giants.
Now we wait and see if the old gang can have lightning strike twice in the chase for a world championship.
Main Image via
Comentarios