The Braves have acquired first baseman Tyler White from the Brewers in exchange for cash, as first indicated on the MLB.com transactions log. White was eligible to be traded even after the Aug. 2 trade deadline passed because he hasn’t been on the 40-man roster at any point this season.
[Related: How to Acquire Players after the Trade Deadline]
The 31-year-old White is a veteran of four Major League seasons, mostly coming as a member of the Astros. From 2016-19, White hit .236/.315/.409 with 26 home runs, 48 doubles and three triples in a total of 859 plate appearances between Houston and a much briefer 2019 stint with the Dodgers.
White was very briefly with the KBO’s SK Wyverns (now the SSG Landers) down the stretch in 2020, though he appeared in just nine games there. He returned to North American ball in 2021, hitting at a .292/.424/.476 clip in 443 plate appearances with the Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo. He didn’t get a call to the big leagues, however, and White latched on with the Brewers on a minor league pact over the winter. So far in 2022, he’s posted a .230/.357/.431 batting line in 325 plate appearances for Milwaukee’s top affiliate in Nashville.
It’s a depth move for a Braves club that just designated for assignment and released a similar journeyman first baseman, Mike Ford. White will get regular or semi-regular at-bats in Triple-A Gwinnett between first base and designated hitter, and he’ll serve as an insurance policy against an injury to Matt Olson. It’s possible that he could work his way into consideration for a September promotion once teams are granted a pair of extra roster spots, but for now he’ll head to Gwinnett.
So if he’d been with the Braves at the time he signed his long term deal, would it have worked out?
no they’d have signed him to a 7 year 42M deal, it wouldn’t have been great, what answer are you searching for? they’d have made up for it in acuna and albies savings. probably riley too. cost certainty is also a thing. locking up a core is never wrong. sometimes someone like white is a misstep. the altuve, bregman, alvarez, 4 international pitchers signed for nothing, is a really enviable core
I disagree on locking up a core is never wrong, but I get your gist. There are more examples of flame-out prospects and failures than there are successes. People just forget about all the failures.
There is a risk to teams in these pre-arb extensions. Some of these prospects bust within one or two years and are making good money for their value afterwards, though we rarely talk about them. For the players, they also risk losing a year or two of jackpot type money, but only if they stay healthy and play well above league average. If they fall to league average or worse they lose nothing and sometimes come out way ahead.
I hate that so many people just think the teams are ripping these players off. They absolutely are not. It’s almost like taking the cash option on a winning lottery ticket versus yearly payouts for x number of years. Yeah, you only get 60% or the potential maximum total might be, but it’s 60% you NEVER have to worry about making or passing on in inheritance should you check out of life earlier than expected. Same concept here. These players are getting so much gauranteed money that even if they utterly flame out they should be easily set for life, for generations.
If you die the lottery winnings are paid out to your estate!
Do you realize that generational wealth is very rare. Most people who have large inheritances blow it and it never gets passed down to the next generation. The vast majority of millionaires are self made. It’s a lie to say they are set for generations. A lot of people believe in this nonsense in generational wealth.
Yeah, he wasn’t so……..? Blame the Astros talent evaluation for that.
Tangent: At this point in the season, could an MLB team directly acquire a player from another league, such as KBO or NPB? If so, would such a player be eligible for the post season?
Yes, all of which is explained in the linked “how to acquire players after the trade deadline” post.
wonderfull
Surprised MKE didn’t give him a look on the big club. If he could have replicated his AAA numbers he’d be 1 of the better hitters they have..but maybe that was the problem. Stearns didn’t want him to make the others look bad.
If the Braves did find a way to repeat, a boat load of players would be in line to get rings .
The used 30 pitchers and 11 outfielders last year.
baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/roster.php?y=2021&#…
Good luck to MLB ham and egger, who is playing poorly at AAA! Who would not want to be given a chance to play for the Atlanta.
Good teams double stock depth at every position just in case.
Just another depth move for AAA. If he does make it to the big league club it will be hard NOT to do better than Ford did.
Just another depth move for AAA. If he does make it to the big league club it will be hard NOT to do better than Ford did.
Wow. I have a copycat? Lol
From Nashville to Gwinnett. Yikes !
I grew up in Atlanta (long ago.) Both nice places to live and work.
Is the same Tyler White who looks 150# overweight?
I’d call this a ‘heft’ move instead of a depth move. White is enormous these days! Feels like they are still trying to fill the chasm of Pablo Sandoval leaving the team.
I guess it can’t hurt to have some additional depth in AAA. Mike Ford seems to have lost his power stroke so White will at least provide them with a little more power potential, but that’s about it. I don’t expect White to sniff the majors this year unless the injury bug hits Atlanta hard.
Teams that need a lefty OF should contact the Dodgers about Jason Martin. I don’t think he’s been added to the 40 man and he’s blocked unless Friedman cuts Bellinger and lets Gallo walk this offseason. Maybe Martin + Catcher Tomas Telis to a team LA feels comfortable trading with. Seattle, Boston, Cincinnati, Toronto, etc. Both players would’ve been called up on every other MLB team at some point this season.
I’d gives the Braves an A on AA finding a depth piece in AAA.
This guy would be starting at 1B for the Pirates right now .
I will stay away from all Houston Cheaters players