The Braves have acquired outfielder Jorge Soler from the Royals, reports MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (via Twitter). ESPN’s Jeff Passan tweets that Kansas City will receiver minor league right-hander Kasey Kalich in return.
In the wake of Ronald Acuna’s season-ending ACL tear and Marcell Ozuna’s dislocated fingers and subsequent domestic violence arrest, Braves President, Baseball Operations & General Manager Alex Anthopoulos has remade his outfield by acquiring Soler, Joc Pederson, Eddie Rosario, and Adam Duvall in trades. Despite being a game below .500, the Braves are only four games out in the NL East.
Soler, 29, has logged 46 games in right field this year while serving as a DH in 44. As you might expect from the time spent at DH, Soler is not known for his defensive chops. His best year came in 2019, when he shook off a history of injuries to play in 162 games and post a 136 wRC+ with 48 home runs in 679 plate appearances. Soler has fallen on hard times since then, with a 90 wRC+ in 534 PA. His bat seems to have come alive in his last 14 games, with seven home runs during that span. Soler is earning $8.05MM this year, and it’s unclear if the Royals are picking up any of the tab. He’s due for free agency after the season.
Signed to a nine-year, $30MM deal out of Cuba by the Cubs back in 2012, Soler came to the Royals in the December 2016 Wade Davis deal. Oddly, he’s one of six key members of the 2016 Cubs to be traded in the last few days, along with Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez, Jon Lester, and Kyle Schwarber.
Kalich, a 23-year-old righty reliever, has a 3.26 ERA, 24.6 K%, and 12.0 BB% in 30 1/3 High-A innings this year. Baseball America gave him a 45 grade prior to the season, noting that Kalich “overwhelms hitters with a powerful two-pitch combination” and “has the stuff to pitch in late relief.”
…but why?
Probably going to platoon him and duvall with pederson and see which is better against lefties. That said pederson has been hitting lefties better than righties this year, wrc plus of 110 vs 95 for righties if i am reading the charts correctly.
I don’t think Pederson is a strict platoon bat. The Dodgers used him that way, so he didn’t see a ton of lefties. That can’t help your ABs when you see the occasional LHP. He’s proving he can hit them, though.
The first two in his triple slash are looking good against LHP, but SLG against lefties isn’t great. I do agree with your point.
I’m wondering who gets sent to AAA or released with 3 new outfielders and a relief pitcher.
That’s a lot of outfielders for a Braves team that needs pitching. Is this the fourth outfielder they traded for?
They got Rodriguez apparently.
Lots of outfielders for the Braves
they want every outfielder?
I like the offense Atlanta got, but they did nothing about the bullpen
That didn’t age well
Until they did
i guess it’s safe to say that comments should be held until the following day on what teams did and did not do. Good move by the braves getting Richard Rodriguez
Yeah let’s not improve where we really struggle
So they acquire Soler, Rosario, and Duvall but kept Morton.
The only thing I find more laughable is people who keep supporting this trash and praising AA.
This is a nightmare!
I find your opinions laughable
I mean to be fair I think if we traded Morton anywhere except Tampa he might’ve retired
Tad dramatic, don’t you think?
Not to mention Pederson last week
I wouldn’t call it a nightmare. The Braves just got Richard Rodriguez and now are better than the Mets with today’s additions.
Better than the Mets? Baez deal trumps all these moves. And the Mets got better players Coming back from injury. These moves were to keep the Braves competitive and keep fans in the stands
GUYS I FOUND METSFAN22!!!
Baez is such a minimal upgrade for the Mets
@ Ian Theodore Fantemson, you don’t have a f—-ng clue what you’re talking about.
I know you and many others wanted a big splash, but you also stated they needed to quick sitting on prospects. You can definitely state they gave up next to nothing for this haul.
Soler
Rosario
Duvall
Rodriguez
Kasey Kalich
Alex Jackson
Pablo Sandoval
Bryse Wilson
Ricky DeVito
That’s just today. I mean, even you have to admit they improved vastly and gave up only one guy who hasn’t appeared to fizzle out and still is a legit prospect (Kalich).
A DH? In this economy?
Needed a revamp OF and I am hearing Ozuna won’t ever be back & it’s gonna effect Freddie’s extension
It’s not going to effect Freddie’s extension at all.
Where are you hearing that?
Next yrs DH. Ozuna done in Atl.
I like the 3 moves, Panda is finished, Alex Jackson was behind 3 catchers…
Soler is a free agent at the end of this year
I’m a fan of the moves, too. The Braves retooled the OF without parting with a ton of prospect capital.
All 3 of these outfielders acquired are free agents at years end, so this is a pure let’s see what happens move while giving up literally nothing. Duvall sure but Rosario and soler make zero sense. Braves needed bullpen help but did get Richard rodriguez
Soler takes over RF, Joc to CF and Duvall in LF; and Rosario gives them depth so if someone gets hurt they’re not in the same position. Why doesn’t that make sense? Not trying to be smart, just genuinely asking.
Joc can’t play CF. That’s just be a disaster
He has, and he can. I disagree with your opinion that it’d be a “disaster”.
He’s already a disaster as a corner outfielder as it is. CF would be beyond mega disaster. You don’t play a DH at a prime defensive position.
Not only is Soler a free agent after the season, but he’s so bad he might not get signed by anyone. So much for the DH of the future.
6 man outfield to help the pitching?
The pitching really hasn’t been bad. The rotation is a strength and AJ Minter has been banished.
And Newcomb.
If Anderson comes back, and possibly Ynoa, they can slide Muller and another arm to the pen and banish Tomlin and Greene. Then when rosters open up they have two spots and at least one should go to a reliever. They can bring up a young arm to see how he does if needed.
Pen could get better internally, especially if the Braves make the commitment to stop running out the same stink they have been for months. No other team in baseball would keep running those guys out there with the depth of arms Atlanta supposedly has. The Dodgers used Urias, Gonsolin, May and even Alex Wood out of the pen rather than vagabond stink like the Braves have done.
Ynoa will join the pen. He can take Tomlin’s spot.
@Ink
That’s what I’m betting. Just have to look at the Braves tendencies to know what they will do. They don’t often take a guy who has never done much relief work and turn them into a reliever. Ynoa has done this regularly and the Braves have enough starters now since Muller has been great. So why change things ? Ynoa will be relieving and spot starting when needed.
omg site is back up after crash.
I was soooooo hoping it was AJ Minter going away.
Pederson+Duvall+Rosario+Soler=Acuna
Solid move. Bullpen pieces are going for a premium right now! I’d say turn wright into a reliever and see what we got. Rather they not spend prospects on a relief pitcher like other teams are!
Their defense in the outfield will be interesting to watch.
So the Braves in the past week have acquired 4 different outfielders. That seems…puzzling. I mean I appreciate them making moves, but logical moves matter too. Either way, their bench really got stocked.
Only logical I can think of is it’s acquiring assets for outfield in case of injuries. There no longer August trades teams can make. That’s why there so manny trades today. Plus this tells me pacha and waters nowhere ready yet.
The moves on the 40 man roster will be interesting to watch. I don’t understand picking up Soler and I am puzzled with the lack of picking up a solid bullpen piece.
The decision to focus less on the bullpen than last year has definitely been a major mistake so far for the Braves.
This comment aged quickly
And I am thankful it did age quickly. I really liked the move that made my comment outdated.
Not really considering 3 of those 4 (Joc, Rosario, Duvall) are really platoon players that got starting opps where they signed sweetheart deals. We didn’t sign them to those deals, so we’ll play them like how we want, which most likely will be platoons with a late-inning sub (hence: no Panda). Heredia/Almonte still could be useful for mainly defensive subs/depth. Keep Waters down. Soler has been on a hot streak lately – they got him at a good time.
I don’t understand this move at all. The others have been solid, but this one doesn’t make sense at all to me… why waste any prospect on bad rental version of Solar … don’t get it smh
What Braves didn’t want Andujar or Frazier. Haha
It’s about the Braves depth at Catcher. Langaliers and Contreras will be the Braves future catchers. Jackson had no place. Soler has been hot, so the Braves took a chance. Why not do it?
Soler > Panda.
Chill
Just a bench bat, replacement pinch hitter for panda and maybe a better option than some of the other OFs when he’s hot
Any relation to Jorge Bell?
Arcia and Adrianza are infielders who have been backing up the outfield. Now the Braves have a stronger bench and legit backup OF’s.
Duvall, Soler, and Rosario. I see we are concentrating on not getting on base. I get the team is in an awkward position, but I don’t see these moves helping to make a push for the division.
I’d really prefer they take what they can for Smyly, Chavez, Smith, and L. Jackson. I assumed from the start Morton would never be traded because he could just retire and if he were to be traded his preference of team would make the return not worth it. But what is the FO thinking? You still make these moves as the teams you are looking up at make better moves, seems movement for movement’s sake.
But not my money, and I hope I’m proved horribly wrong.
The Detroit Tigers will not miss Jorge Soler.
Neither will the White Sox!!! LOL
Good for the Royals. Merrifield to the outfield, Lopez at second, Witt at shortstop, Santana and Pratto 1B and DH.
i knew he was going somewhere.
Poor man’s “Joey Gallo.”?
Recall how he was such a hyped prospect..,
Still Love the HR power, his power is consistent.
He’s almost a negative 2 WAR for the season. He’s not a poor man’s anything. He’s awful.
I think this story should be corrected.
“In the wake of Ronald Acuna’s season-ending ACL tear and Marcell Ozuna’s dislocated fingers and subsequent domestic violence arrest”.
(and subsequent dropping of charges should be added to reflect the correct position or status of the matter.) Facts..
Prosecutors drop felony for Marcell Ozuna in domestic violence case. FULTON COUNTY, Ga. – The Fulton County District Attorney’s office has decided not to charge Braves outfielder Marcell Ozuna with a felony after his arrest in May over allegations of domestic violence.
At this point a reduction of charges probably has little impact on things. It doesn’t mean some bad stuff didn’t go down.
@Cosmo2
It’s got nothing to do with what impact it has either for or against. It is reporting facts, but of course in 2021 why would anyone bother.
Soler is basically what Wladimir Balentien was with much more MLB Success (whereas Balentien was excellent for longer in the NPB). If there’s an NL DH I could see giving him a shot as the full time DH, otherwise I would recommend him signing with an NPB/KBO team to make more money going forward.