The struggling Atlanta Braves made a deadline transfer on Monday, buying DH/OF Jorge Soler and right-handed reliever Luke Jackson from the San Francisco Giants in trade for left-handed reliever Tyler Matzek and minor league infielder Sabin Ceballos.
Theodor Reik, an Austrian psychoanalyst, is believed to be the unique supply of what (with slight modification) has grow to be the saying “historical past doesn’t repeat itself, however it does rhyme.” That’s the case right here, as each Soler and Jackson had been key contributors on the Braves workforce that gained the World Collection in 2021. If we had been to set our time machine to journey again a quite unambitious three years previously, we’d see the same deadline story. When Soler was acquired by Atlanta again then (from the Royals for minor league reliever Kasey Kalich), the Braves had been a struggling workforce (51-54) that was grappling with the season-ending lack of Ronald Acuña Jr. to a torn ACL. As we speak, the Braves are a struggling workforce (56-49, however 37-40 because the finish of April) that’s grappling with the season-ending lack of Ronald Acuña Jr. to a torn ACL. It could be unsuitable to say that Soler was the purpose the Braves turned their season round in 2021, however his efforts (a .269/.358/.524 line and 14 homers in two months) proved to be an important a part of that workforce push. Jackson has had an up-and-down profession, however 2021 was his apogee, with a 1.98 ERA and three.66 FIP for these Braves.
Naturally, Atlanta’s hoping to have a little bit of rhyming historical past right here, however it will be a mistake to name this commerce ill-conceived nostalgia. Soler’s seasonal line (.240/.330/.419 with 12 dwelling runs, good for 0.8 WAR) doesn’t precisely pop off the web page, however it’s important to keep in mind that the most important league offensive setting may be very pitcher-friendly today and Oracle Park isn’t precisely an ideal place for a slugger to hit until you’re Barry Bonds. Soler’s 115 wRC+ is definitely proper consistent with each his profession numbers and the projections getting into the season. And much more importantly, with Isaac Paredes already off the market, he has a case for being the most effective bat realistically out there with out buying and selling half the farm system.
That bat is simply what Atlanta wants given the workforce’s offensive woes, even when it gained’t repair the lineup by itself. Regardless of their pitching accidents, the Braves have been capable of cobble collectively a fairly satisfactory workers, with a 3.48 ERA since April, although that’s gotten a bit harder since Max Fried went down. They haven’t had the identical luck offensively, as they rank twenty seventh in runs scored over that timeframe, whereas their 89 workforce wRC+ ranks twenty sixth. Atlanta’s outfielders have mixed to hit an abysmal .225/.281/.362 this season. Soler will take taking part in time away from some mixture of Eddie Rosario (.548 OPS in Atlanta since being signed earlier this month) and Adam Duvall (.587 OPS). Even taking Soler’s weak protection into consideration — Marcell Ozuna has an iron grip on the DH spot — he represents a big enchancment over what the Braves have gotten from the corners this 12 months. He’s additionally signed for an additional two seasons, having inked a three-year, $42 million deal this previous winter.
After posting a 5.40 ERA and 4.50 FIP in 36 reduction appearances for San Francisco, Jackson is clearly the lesser acquisition right here, seemingly supposed to be depth in the back of the bullpen. Except Atlanta likes him much more than the projections (which see him as mainly the final arm out of the ‘pen), he’s seemingly for use in lower-leverage conditions, just like how the Giants deployed him in 2023 and 2024. Nonetheless, he’s in all probability extra reliable than Matzek within the short-term, and it’s not less than value noting that Jackson remains to be higher than common at lacking bats and nonetheless fares nicely within the numerous public pitch fashions. If he pitches nicely, he might discover himself in higher-leverage innings, although he’d in all probability need to pitch fairly nicely for Atlanta to select up his $7 million 2025 choice ($2 million buyout).
Matzek, who has struggled to come back again from Tommy John surgical procedure, is unlikely to play a key position for the Giants — or possibly any position in any respect for that matter. His inclusion is sort of actually for tax functions, as Atlanta has been hovering just below the second luxurious tax threshold. Even when Matzek does get into video games earlier than the top of the season, it gained’t actually alter San Francisco’s destiny, and he in all probability gained’t throw sufficient innings, even within the best-case situation, for the Giants to select up his $5.5 million choice.
It’s Ceballos who makes the commerce attention-grabbing for the Giants; he slots in at no. 17 of their system as a 40 FV prospect. The Giants’ greatest prospects proper now principally encompass pitchers and outfielders, and so they’re in need of infielders. Ceballos doesn’t hit for the ability one may count on given his strong construct and he’s had combined outcomes at Excessive-A Rome this 12 months, however he’s a superb contact hitter who will get on base, and ZiPS is optimistic about his protection. Eric Longenhagen agrees, saying in Atlanta’s prospect rundown in June, “Ceballos’ ability set is headlined by his plus defensive actions and his large arm. A balanced, low-to-the-ground athlete with nice footwork, he has a powerful, correct arm from every kind of wierd platforms. His athletic type is extra about physique management than explosion, and this additionally applies to Ceballos’ offense, which is pushed by plate self-discipline and a compact swing.”
In his writeup, Eric in contrast Ceballos to former Big Matt Duffy. Unbeknownst to Eric, Duffy is definitely within the prime 20 in Ceballos’ ZiPS comps, with different notable current gamers being Cory Spangenberg, Nick Sogard, and Anderson Feliz (Ceballos’ prime comp is Kevin Seitzer). He’s hardly a lock to play within the majors past a cup of espresso, however the Giants had been by no means going to get a Coby Mayo or Matt Shaw for the privilege of getting Soler on a market-value contract.
Soler and Jackson aren’t sufficient to proclaim the top of Atlanta’s sluggish slide down the standings, however they do assist the workforce. Hopefully for Braves followers, there’s extra assist coming earlier than the commerce window closes this night.
