The Braves have a relatively strong hold on the National League East as they have pushed their lead back up to 5 1/2 games over the Nationals and 6 1/2 games over the Phillies. Much like their trailers in the East, the Braves are exploring reinforcements for a bullpen that has let the club down at times.
Much like other contenders, the Braves have looked into acquiring lefty Jake Diekman from the Royals, per MLB.com’s Mark Bowman (via Twitter). Diekman remains one of the most likely players to move before Wednesday’s deadline, but the Royals are apparently in no rush to make a decision. Bowman names Ian Kennedy as another name that makes sense for the Braves, though the Royals are less interested in paying down the money owed Kennedy, making him a less likely target.
Though the same targets seem to make their way around the rumor mill from team-to-team, the Braves have not yet been tied to oft-rumored Tigers Shane Greene, Nicholas Castellanos or Matthew Boyd. A more likely trading partner for Atlanta is the Rangers, who can offer Mike Minor for the rotation or right-hander Jose Leclerc out of the pen.
Both Rangers come with future years of control, with Leclerc in particular being an interesting target as the 25-year-old recently signed an extension that has him under contract for five years after this season (through 2024). After recording 12 saves with a 1.56 ERA 59 games last season, Leclerc struggled out of the gate this year, ultimately losing his closer’s role and even taking a few turns as an Opener. That said, he turned things around since the slow start, currently holding a 4.02 ERA (3.31 FIP) in 47 games, making him worth 1.0 WAR by measure of both Baseball-Reference and Fangraphs.
It would be at least understandable if the Rangers were looking for a mulligan on the Leclerc extension, but that’s not to say they’re looking to sell low on their power righty. The Braves plethora of pitching in the upper levels of the minors give them the bullets they need to acquire whomever they need, should they decide to pull the trigger.
Braves always seem to be trading with the rangers and royals
Yep. Thanks for Elvis
Tex played great for the Braves. They were just to cheap to sign him.
I think we did just fine with Simmons over Andrus. And now Dansby. We’re good.
The Braves did everything include offering to make Tex the highest-paid 1st baseman in the game but he never agreed. It was not the Braves being cheap…far from it.
Andrus is a 30 WAR player. Swanson has 4.1 over his 4 combined seasons so far. He’s barely beating Andrus’ season average so far. And Simmons’ best seasons haven’t even been with Atlanta.
Squze me Lucy? Andrelton posted a 7 WAR season in 2013, making the league minimum. The angels have gotten exactly 1.2 more WAR then the Braves did and have paid him $34m. The Braves paid him $4.491m.
And even still, Simba is WAY better then Andrus. I love me some Elvis…but Simba is a 36 WAR player in less time the Andrus, with less money and less commitment. The Braves traded him, but they knew what they were trading. They got what they wanted back.
fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=10847&posi…
Your math is garbage. The Angels have gotten around 5 more WAR and 2019 is not over yet.
I got my math from BR. Obviously, the jury on Simba’s value is out.
Just the same, on a team like the Braves, Simmon’s contract value was contingent upon the power followup to his 20 bomb season. He hasn’t consistently done that.
And the Cubs thank you for Hendricks.
Braved need to be targeting LH . . . stack up against the Dodgers left handed bats.
That is where Diekman comes in. Unless Vazquez or Garrett are somehow available from the Pirates and Reds.
The Braves should be able to get Diekman, Kennedy, Minor, and Leclerc without dipping into their top teir list of prospects. I dont think it would take any of Pache, Wright, Anderson, Waters, Langliers or Contreras to get these guys.
What would be the Rangers motivation to sell Minor or Leclerc if the Braves weren’t willing to give up Ian Anderson or one of the top 100 prospects. Minor is under contract for next year and Leclerc for 5 more years. If you don’t get good value, then there is no need to trade those players
Right? These Braves fans are lunatic they want the other teams players without giving up anything
He has a point, waters, pache and anderson should be untouchable. Braves still have have good prospects after those to net minor and others
Okay sure. You have 2-3 untouchables. Fine. That man is trying to make every one of y’alls top 100 prospects and a few others untouchable. That’s delusional. If he wanted that then Atlanta could’ve gone after Cashman or Bailey.
Cashner*
I wouldn’t say that it is Braves fans being “ridiculous,” it’s just that they have the second best farm system. You don’t have to give up the top 3-4 because you have QUALITY DEPTH. 5-10 is still better than most 1-5. It’s you casual fans who are delusional thinking a team has to trade its top 1-3 pieces to “get value.”
No it’s the Braves being ridiculous. Congrats on your quality depth but teams aren’t giving up all stars for depth prospects. It’s going to take a top 100 guy.
These kinda people are called “delusional biased fans” they turn on their PlayStation and turn on force trade in the show then trade no ones for guys like Trout. So they take what they do in the game and bring it to the real world not realizing how stupid they sound.
I am going off Mike Minor’s career not just 4 solid months! I also did not mean they would get both Minor and Leclerc. If you think Minor is going g to bring a top 100 prospect you might be delusional.
On top of that the Braves can put together a great package without it being top heavy. They have one of the deepest farm systems in baseball.
Minor wasn’t exactly bad last year for the Rangers. To get him, they’ll have to give at least one of their top guys plus lesser pieces.
Pitchers with control aren’t cheap
If you think he won’t cost you a top 100 prospect, you’re crazy.
Lesser prospects in your system will net you another Kevin Gausman
He’s an ace and an All Star. You aren’t getting him for less than 2 top 100 prospects. He is a proven TORP.
You’re delusional if you think Minor won’t fetch a top 100 prospect. If you don’t want to play poker at the big boy table and push your chips into the middle, get out of the game.
LoL
Your “proven ace” has given up 15 runs in his last 22 innings, is old, and cannot stay healthy. Prepare to be disappointed if you think hes bringing back a sherzer or Verlander (actual proven aces) type return. Yet you call others “delusional”.
He’s better than most of Atlanta’s rotation
31 is old? Nobody said anything about Minor being an ace. Trades are nothing more than supply and demand. And your rationale about 15 runs in 22 innings is near sighted and flawed. Need to look at the full body of work.
ab3b29 6 mins ago
“Nobody said anything about Minor being an ace.”
justinkm19
2 hours ago
“He’s an ace and an All Star. You aren’t getting him for less than 2 top 100 prospects. He is a proven TORP.”
Pay closer attention before attacking people
Full body of work suggest 4.1 FIP/4.45 xFIP. Wouldn’t take much of an argument to say minor is simply regressing to his mean right now.
The supply of starters is relatively limited and I think there’s a decent chance the rangers snag a top 100 prospect but if you’re thinking this going to be some kind of super haul you’re gonna be very disappointed.
4 solid months. Lol. Minor has an ERA just barely over 3 in his last 40 starts stretching back to last season. Just because y’all couldn’t figure out how to tap into his potential doesn’t mean he isn’t good.
He doesn’t have to bring back a Scherzer return to bring back an all star ace return. Scherzer would net multiple top 100s. Minor will require 1.
My point is you are taking a small sample of Minor’s starts and making him appear as though he’s a #5 starter instead of taking the full body of work into context. Is he a true #1, no. Is he a #2, maybe but more realistically a #3. He will still fetch a nice return because he still has one more year of cheap control and not one person has said he will attract an offer such as Scherzer or Verlander. He’s not gonna be free.
There’s a balance. After all, it is Mike Minor. Given his track record, especially with injuries, this year is the anomaly, not necessarily the reality. And he isn’t getting any younger.
Can’t blame the Rangers for wanting to sell high, though. So we’ll see. Everybody has to realize that any return probably isn’t going to drastically alter the franchise or make their farm a Top 3, or anything like that. He’s also not the cornerstone piece that’s going to push them past Houston before his contract expires.
In this case, I can see Texas be more willing to take the best deal than just hanging on to him.
Because ATL has other key pieces like Kyle Wright, Touki Touissaint that are MLB ready and have been effective at MLB and/or AAA. Minor is on the decline and Leclerc can’t even earn the trust of his manager, yet he should be closer of a playoff team? Sure. Let’s give up the top prospects of a top-rated farm system for that all day long.
Who’s saying he’s a closer? He’s a solid bullpen weapon who strikes out a ton of guys. You can find ways to use a talent like that. Plus he’s 25 and has club control
Minor is better right now than most of what Atlanta has in their rotation
It boggles my mind how fans value their prospects more so than acquiring major league talent to further bolster a team headed for the playoffs
Atlanta has such a deep system that they could give one or two of their higher end kids and still have a stacked farm
Toussaint has a 5.62 ERA and a near 1.7 WHIP.
Not really effective
This was clearly written by someone who hasn’t watched the Rangers play and has never seen Jose Leclerc pitch.
You don’t have to feel Minor or Leclerc are worthy of your team’s top prospects. But you look silly trashing two guys who have been consistently good throughout their careers and are among the most talented guys at their positions on this trade market.
100% correct Daniel.
So I’m an unbiased fan of neither team. If Minor gets a top 100 prospect, it someone just inside, plus a org. top 15 and a lottery ticket. He’s nowhere close to an ace, he never has been, and he’s not a number 2 on a contender. Except maybe the Yankees, because their pitching is bad. Minor’s recent history is injury and bullpen, and I like the dude and think there’s upside, but he’s not going to bring you top tier guys in return.
Minor hasn’t been injured in three years and has been an elite major league starter since June of 2018.
As a Rangers fan who doesn’t want to see him traded, I hope other teams view him the same way you do, so the team will just keep him. But you’re wildly undervaluing what he’s been since returning to the rotation and the value that has with an extra year of cheap control.
Then you dont trade them because when I see LeClerc and Minor I see big red flags. LeClerc had one good year. Four and a half more years of modest bullpen pitching is not the kind of pitching you want to see your top prospects spent on.
Minors peripherals are out of whack. His FIP is 4.19 and that’s verified by his .277 BABIP Against. His ERA is already regressing as you would expect. He is a middle of the rotation kind of pitcher who’s ERA has been masking it but the smoke screen is already coming down. I understand the Rangers being more demanding with Minor but no thanks. Take a pass on him.
71 strikes outs in 43 innings this year is “modest pitching”???
25 years old with that kind of control??
You can really do some developing to a kid with that big strikeout potential.
Minor or Leclerc will cost the braves a top 20 organizational prospect no doubt
See that I can see. Top 20 for LeClerc and top 10 organizational for Minor isn’t crazy. A top 100 over all is where it might get to expensive for the Braves.
Diekman is now an Oakland Athletic
so what you think the rangers are going to get for mike minor and jose leclerc
They don’t need these bums. They should be targeting Thor, Bauer, or Iglesias (reds closer). They have the prospects to land an elite starter and a closer, which they very much need.
If they’re going to deal elite prospects then maybe KC and Texas is the way to go. Last week Dayton Moore said it would take a lot to land Merrifield. I know this week, they’re saying they don’t think they’re going to move him. If the Braves are looking to make a splash, offer up a package headlined by Pache, Wright, and two or 3 lesser pieces for Merrifield and Kennedy’s contract.
Then the Braves can turn to Texas and try to land Minor for more reasonable pieces.
They don’t need Merrifield, and Kennedy isn’t an upgrade over anything they have. They’d be stupid to give away their top prospects for those guys.
Well, they’ll need somebody other than Duvall if Markakis is out for any extended period. With Dansby down, the defense is already taking a hit. Sticking Riley or Acuna in right and relying on Inciarte’s bat isn’t the answer.
Either way, Markakis is also a free agent at year’s end. So, in the short term and the long term they’re going to need a right fielder. The Braves have inquired about him before.
Suggested including Kennedy as a way to sweeten the pot for KC. Plus, I would rather have just about anybody than AJ Minter. Kennedy is definitely an upgrade over him. I’d throw Minter in the same deal.
Valid points, I just think they can do better
The Braves have several OF options for Nick, including Ender, Joyce, Demeritte, Duvall, Culberson. They can platoon/mix and match. They could even promote Pache for a while.
Btw, they have an option on Nick for next year.
They don’t need Merrifield long term. If they need a guy now they might as well go get a rental or a guy with limited control like David Peralta. He’ll be making about 11MM in arb next year and shouldn’t cost more than some of their mid ranked prospects. No need to pay all that for Merrifield.
If you’re going to spend the prospect capital might as well go with Arizona and go for Peralta and either Grienke or Ray
One of those “bums” is better than most of Atlanta’s starters
And the other is better by most measures than the “elite” reliever mentioned as an alternative.
But Braves fans gonna Braves fan.
The braves need smittywerbenjagermanjensen. He is # 1 !
I thought he was injured ? Didn’t he hurt his wrist trying to sign a check at Kroger?
The Braves keep trying to go cheap, go get a real starter stroman, Noah, or bauer and prepare for a deep playoff run ian Kennedy is trash you already had minor hes a decent pitcher but nothing that puts u over the top. If Noah had been pitching for the Braves since the beginning of the season he would have easily 10-12 wins with that infield defense and Braves offense. Mets cant score or play sound defense. Braves need to take advantage of this core that’s cheap and controllable if not why u sign Donaldson to a 1 year deal? Go for it already
If you saw the broadcast Wednesday, AA was in the booth and it sounds like he’s ready to deal some of these young pitchers. It didn’t sound like the same B.S. we got in the offseason. He alluded to a bit of a logjam and realized their value may never be higher. He even talked about potentially acquiring a bat. With the Dansby/Markakis news, I’m thinking this becomes more of a focus.
That said, he isn’t going to do anything stupid. I imagine, he’ll be right in the thick of acquiring any top-tier arm available–especially ones with control beyond 2019. It’s just a matter of other teams deciding whether or not they want to sell.
The contract for Leclerc is a bargain still and he’s bring a huge haul in a trade.
Braves can have Neris, Eflin, and Cesar for Drew Waters. Today. Phils should be in sell mode.
Lol as a braves fan im saying the phillied would never do that
Yeah, they won’t but I wish they would. This team is nowhere close to winning anything.
Waters and wilson and a lotto prospect for Nola then we are talking lol
Yeah right. I’d sell Waters to Japan before dealing him to PHI. He’s everything you hoped Moniak could be, and more.
I don’t believe Waters should be available in any trade, unless it’s for a Verlander type starter
Braves should stand pat. They’re still more then a pitcher or two from the title.
It only takes one pitcher to do it for you look what Madison did for the Giants
Last I checked, they have the second best record in the NL.
Stand pat? No team at the top of their division should ever stand pat, that’s how you lose in the playoffs
Correct. I’m not shocked at all to see these B tier names. I was getting excited earlier about the possibility of the Braves acquiring a big name. I should’ve known, but that’s the price of not giving up our top guys. Have to settle for lesser talent. They definitely aren’t doing anything in the postseason. Not that I thought they would anyways, but they would’ve had a stronger shot with Syndergaard, Bauer, Bumgarner, etc. I’m sure they’re fine with another “just happy to be here” and “NL east champs”
A wonderful deal with the Royals would be Danny Duffy, Jake Diekman and Whit Merrifield (now that a replacement is needed for Nick Markakis/Dansby Swanson) for Kyle Wright and Touki Toussaint.
Yes just give us half of your top prospects
Kyle Wright is half of the Braves pitching top prospects. Wright and Anderson, that is it. However consideration should be given to the fact that Duffy and Diekman combine for a negative $12 Million value so it somewhat offsets the Merrifield value. No way for Royals to move the $38million owed to Duffy without adding cash or another player.
Just lol. Why would the Royals ever give up that much for that little?
AA gets a dial tone on the other line
No reason to get Merrifield. With Carmargo, Albies,, Culberson and also bring up Demirette and Duval then you’ve got all of that covered without having to give up the major prospects KC would want
Braves fan here
No way the Royals do that. Royals aren’t actually looking to cut payroll so this doesn’t apply to your standard “we’ll eat contracts of guys you want to dump if you lower the price on a target we want”
Royals aren’t interested in that.
And then shortly after the KC GM accepts that deal, he blows up KC’s stadium and disappears to some private Caribbean island.
AA trying to make deals for 2nd tier pitchers not the big names therefore keeping top prospects. As long as it works I am okay with it.
How’d that Kevin Gausman trade work out again?
And when’s the last time Atlanta has won a playoff series?
Really don’t want Minor. Go get Stroman and Giles
Yankees are gonna grab Stroman and Giles. Plus Blue jays are probably gonna give them allusion that they want to sell them separately but at 3:45 PM on the 31st, the Yankees will have the better offer because they are more desperate for an Ace than Atlanta
Well, another first round exit is coming if they even manage to get in with a terrible pitching staff. Nothing has changed. AA is no different from Wren and Coppy.
Here we go opening up the wallets
Why would Texas trade Leclerc at a lower value and keep Martin at his highest? These rumors make no sense.
That is often the case this time of year. People are just throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks.
Yep. No reason to trade Leclerc unless someone blows us away with an offer. Which won’t happen because his value is down right now.
Scratch Diekman off the list. The Braves need to open their wallets and offer some prospects up if they truly want to compete for the World Series this year. They need 2 or 3 key pieces to have a legitimate shot of beating the Dodgers and getting to the show. Now is the time to do it!
Am I the only one that is thinking Boyd & Greene?
I thinking it. Send it out to the GM universe and get it done.
Diekmann is gone… to the A’s. Duvall is up to replace Markakis. Swanson to the IL. Fried activated to pitch tonight.