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Archives for August 2022

Rays, Giants Swap Ford Proctor For Jeremy Walker

By Mark Polishuk | August 1, 2022 at 8:58pm CDT

The Rays and Giants have combined on a trade of minor leaguers, with right-hander Jeremy Walker heading to Tampa Bay and catcher/infielder Ford Proctor going to the Giants.  Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Proctor had been dealt, while The Houston Chronicle’s Chandler Rome reported Walker’s involvement in the trade.

Walker’s MLB experience consists of 9 1/3 innings with the Braves in 2019, and the righty has a 3.91 ERA over 439 2/3 minor league innings since Atlanta made him a fifth-round pick in the 2016 draft.  Working mostly as a starter in his first three pro seasons, Walker made a successful transition to relief pitching in 2019 that resulted in his first Major League call-up.  However, he didn’t pitch at all in 2020-21 due to the canceled minor league season and a shoulder impingement.

There is clearly some rust still to be worked off after Walker’s long layoff, as he has struggled to a 6.99 ERA over 37 1/3 combined innings (35 1/3 in Triple-A, two in Double-A) in 2022.  While his 23.2% strikeout rate and 9.1% walk rate are nothing special, Walker has been allowing a ton of hits, and a .390 BABIP indicates some level of bad luck for the 27-year-old.

Given Tampa Bay’s successes in pitching development, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Walker get back on track in a new organization.  In exchange, the Rays are giving up a third-rounder from the 2018 draft in Proctor, who was ranked 19th on MLB Pipeline’s list of the top 30 prospects in Tampa’s farm system.  Dealing Proctor also opens up a spot on the Rays’ 40-man roster, which hints at future moves to come before tomorrow’s trade deadline.

Proctor hit well in A-ball in 2019 and at Double-A in 2021, and also posted some good numbers in the Australian Baseball League and in indy ball in 2020 in lieu of a proper minor league season.  In 2022, however, Proctor has hit a modest .213/.329/.306 over 317 PA at Triple-A Durham, his first taste of Triple-A pitching.

Perhaps best known for his unusual defensive profile, Proctor was drafted an infielder but started catching in 2020.  Proctor has started 52 games behind the plate for Durham this season while also making 10 starts as a third baseman, one start as a shortstop, and four appearances as a second baseman.  The Giants are known to prize defensive versatility, and Proctor’s ability to act as more than just a traditional backup catcher could allow him to carve out a path to a spot on a big league roster.

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San Francisco Giants Tampa Bay Rays Transactions Ford Proctor Jeremy Walker

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Tyler Stephenson To Undergo Collarbone Surgery

By Anthony Franco | August 1, 2022 at 8:16pm CDT

Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson is undergoing surgery to repair his fractured collarbone, manager David Bell announced this afternoon (via C. Trent Rosecrans of the Athletic). Bell indicated the surgery isn’t expected to affect Stephenson’s timetable, although the club nevertheless transferred him from the 10-day to the 60-day injured list to clear a roster spot for the reinstatement of outfielder Albert Almora Jr. from the COVID-19 list.

That suggests that, in any event, Stephenson was always likely to miss two-plus months. That’s little surprise after the young backstop suffered the clavicle fracture last week when he was hit by a foul tip. The earliest he’ll now be able to return is late September. Bell wouldn’t rule out seeing him again this season, but it’d be for a few games late in the year at best.

The Reds will be playing out the string at that point, although they’d presumably prefer to get Stephenson some game action to head into the offseason on a better footing. He’s had a trio of IL stints this year, all on generally freak plays. Stephenson suffered a concussion in a home plate collision, then twice was hit with foul tips that resulted in fractures. That’s kept him to 183 plate appearances, although he’s been a rare bright spot for the club when healthy. The 25-year-old (26 next month) has an excellent .319/.372/.482 showing, locking him in as a core long-term piece for the retooling franchise.

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Cincinnati Reds Transactions Albert Almora Tyler Stephenson

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Nationals Select Ildemaro Vargas

By Darragh McDonald | August 1, 2022 at 8:15pm CDT

The Nationals announced that they have selected the contract of infielder Ildemaro Vargas. He has taken over the roster spot that was vacated by Ehire Adrianza, who was traded to Atlanta earlier today.

Vargas, 31, began the season with the Cubs on a minor league deal. He hit .279/.321/.413 over 25 Triple-A games and was selected to the big league club in May. Playing second base and shortstop, he got into 10 games with the Cubbies but hit just .130/.231/.348 in that time before getting designated for assignment.

After clearing waivers and electing free agency, he landed with the Nats on a minor league deal. In 48 Triple-A games in the Nats’ org, he hit .224/.301/.322.

Vargas is capable of playing all over the diamond and should provide the Nats with some versatility. In his career in the majors and minors, he’s played all of the positions on the diamond except for pitcher and catcher. The Nats have already shipped out Adrianza and could subtract other players from the roster between now and tomorrow’s trade deadline. Juan Soto, Josh Bell and Nelson Cruz are the most headline-grabbing possibilities, but Yadiel Hernandez and others could also be on the move. If trades do come together, Vargas can move around to whatever opening needs to be filled.

Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post reported on the Vargas promotion before the official announcement.

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Transactions Washington Nationals Ildemaro Vargas

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Matt Joyce Retires

By Mark Polishuk | August 1, 2022 at 8:00pm CDT

After 14 Major League seasons, outfielder Matt Joyce has officially retired just two days in advance of his 38th birthday.  Joyce played with the Phillies in 2021 but was released after the year, and he told Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times that he waited a few months into the 2022 campaign to see if he could land any offers from non-independent teams.

When those offers didn’t come, Joyce closed the book on a career that saw him suit up for eight different teams over the course of an even 1400 career games.  Spending the last half of his career bouncing around the majors, he played one season each with the Phillies, Marlins, Braves, Pirates, Angels, and Tigers, while playing two seasons with the Athletics and six seasons with the Rays.

The left-handed hitting Joyce was never able to muster much production against left-handed pitching over his career, which often relegated him to platoon or bench duties.  However, he carved out a comfortable niche for himself as a righty-masher, with a .251/.353/.444 career slash line against right-handed pitching.  Joyce was also one of the more prominent pinch-hitters in baseball history, as his 369 career plate appearances as a pinch-hitter ranks sixth on the all-time list.

A 12th-round pick for the Tigers in the 2006 draft, Joyce made his big league debut with Detroit in 2008 before being dealt to the Rays for (speaking of prominent journeymen) Edwin Jackson in December 2008.  It was a homecoming for the Tampa native Joyce, and he told Topkin that his stint with the Rays “probably means the most to me, looking back.  Just being from here, being raised here, playing here, making the playoffs three out of the five (full) years that I was up with the team.  A lot of really cool memories, a lot of really cool highlights.  That was special, for sure.”

Joyce’s Rays tenure peaked with the 2011 season, when he hit .277/.347/.478 with 19 home runs and was named to his only All-Star team.  For his entire career, Joyce finishes with a .242/.342/.425 slash line and 149 homers over 4355 plate appearances.

“I definitely feel good, and I’m proud of what I was able to accomplish,” Joyce said.  “I think overcoming the biggest trials and failures is really what I’m most proud of.  That ultimately shows a lot about a person, a lot about an athlete.  The fact that they’re just willing to kind of grind and persevere and continue to fail, but you continue to get back up again.  So, yeah, I’m definitely proud of my career.”

We at MLB Trade Rumors congratulate Joyce on a fine career, and wish him the best in his post-baseball endeavors.

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Oakland Athletics Tampa Bay Rays Matt Joyce Retirement

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Diamondbacks Select Kevin Ginkel

By Anthony Franco | August 1, 2022 at 7:51pm CDT

The D-Backs announced they’ve selected reliever Kevin Ginkel onto the major league roster before this evening’s game against the Guardians. They’ve also reinstated starter Zach Davies from the injured list and recalled designated hitter Seth Beer from Triple-A Reno. In a trio of active roster moves, they’ve placed left-hander Caleb Smith on the 15-day IL due to a hand fracture and optioned infielder Yonny Hernández and righty Corbin Martin.

Ginkel is joining the major league club for the first time this season. The righty was outrighted off the 40-man roster last November but stuck in the organization and has spent the season with Triple-A Reno. He’s excelled there, working to a sparkling 1.17 ERA across 30 2/3 innings. He’s punched out an excellent 36.6% of opposing hitters against a manageable 9.8% walk rate, numbers that eventually earned another deserved look in the big leagues.

The 28-year-old hasn’t had a ton of success at the MLB level to this point. He posted a 1.48 ERA through 25 appearances as a rookie in 2019, but he’d struggled over the past couple seasons. Ginkel owns just a 6.50 ERA in 51 outings since that point, with an elevated 13% walk percentage among the culprits for that lack of success. He’ll try to carry over his excellent upper minors showing against higher-level hitters and earn a long-term spot in the Arizona bullpen.

Davies returns after a bit more than a month on the IL due to shoulder soreness. The righty looked like a viable trade candidate after pitching to a 3.84 ERA through his first 15 starts on an affordable $1.75MM contract. Now that he’s back on the active roster, there’s at least some chance he attracts attention from contenders seeking rotation depth within the next 24 hours.

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Arizona Diamondbacks Transactions Caleb Smith Kevin Ginkel Zach Davies

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D-Backs, Royals To Swap Luke Weaver For Emmanuel Rivera

By Anthony Franco and Darragh McDonald | August 1, 2022 at 7:40pm CDT

The Royals and Diamondbacks are nearing agreement on a deal that’ll send right-hander Luke Weaver to Kansas City for infielder Emmanuel Rivera, reports John Gambadoro of 98.7FM radio in Phoenix (Twitter link).

Weaver was once a high-profile acquisition of the Diamondbacks, coming over as part of the package they received for sending superstar Paul Goldschmidt to the Cardinals. After the first 12 starts he made for Arizona, it seemed like they had a rotation stalwart on their hands. Weaver put up a 2.94 ERA in 2019 with a 40.7% ground ball rate, 26.5% strikeout rate and 5.4% walk rate. Unfortunately, a forearm strain ended his season early and he hasn’t been quite the same since.

Weaver was healthy for the shortened 2020 campaign, making 12 starts and throwing 52 innings but putting up an ERA of 6.58 in that time. He was better in 2021, getting his ERA down to 4.25, but was limited to just 13 starts by a shoulder injury. Coming into this season, the D-Backs moved him to the bullpen, which has led to results both encouraging and discouraging. His 7.71 ERA is certainly unappealing, though there are reasons to believe that isn’t a true reflection of his work. His 24.1% strikeout rate and 6.2% walk rate are both better than league average, and he’s also allowing just 7.7% of his fly balls to leave the yard. What seems to be hurting his ERA is an unsustainable .434 batting average on balls in play and a 55.9% strand rate.

Still, this is a sample of just 16 1/3 innings after multiple seasons of disappointing results. The Royals won’t have a ton of time to get Weaver back on track, as he is set to reach free agency after the 2023 campaign. He’s making a salary of $2.875MM this year and is eligible for another pass through arbitration next year.

In exchange for Weaver, the Diamondbacks are getting Rivera, 26, a corner infielder who hasn’t hit much in the majors but has shown plenty of promise in the minors. Since making his MLB debut last year, he’s gotten into 92 games and hit .243/.294/.378 for a wRC+ of 87. However, in 63 Triple-A games last year, he hit .286/.348/.592 for a wRC+ of 144. In 20 games there this year, his line is .307/.388/.520, 142 wRC+.

Rivera is primarily a third baseman and would likely slot behind Josh Rojas on Arizona’s depth chart, though Rojas is capable of moving to other spots on the field if they really want to give Rivera a shot. Rivera’s also played some first base and could perhaps see some time there if the D-Backs pull the trigger on a Christian Walker trade, as they have reportedly considered. However he’s deployed, Rivera comes with an extended window of control, having come into this season with less than a year of MLB service time. He also can be optioned for the remainder of this year as well as another season, potentially delaying his free agency and arbitration.

For the Royals, they likely felt Rivera was squeezed out due to their crowded corner infield mix, with Nicky Lopez getting a lot of playing time at third, while Vinnie Pasquantino, Nick Pratto and Hunter Dozier are also around for first base or corner outfield duty. The designated hitter slot is also a little busy between that group and the catching duo of Salvador Perez and MJ Melendez. They’ve used that surplus of corner infield bats to add an intriguing arm, while the Diamondbacks have taken a pitcher they couldn’t get good results out of and turned him into a controllable infield depth option.

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Arizona Diamondbacks Kansas City Royals Newsstand Transactions Emmanuel Rivera Luke Weaver

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Astros Acquire Christian Vazquez From Red Sox

By Darragh McDonald | August 1, 2022 at 7:30pm CDT

The Astros hunt for catching help is over, as they announced an agreement Monday night to bring in Christian Vazquez from the Red Sox. Prospects Enmanuel Valdez and Wilyer Abreu are headed to Boston in return.

Vazquez, 31, will now join just the second organization of his career, as he’s been with the Red Sox since being drafted by them in 2008. Since that time, he’s reached the majors and established himself as a solid regular. Though he’s never been an All-Star, Vazquez has played in 407 games for the Red Sox from 2019 to the present, slashing .272/.321/.424 for a wRC+ of 97. If not for a dismal season last year, those numbers would look even better, as he’s posted a wRC+ of 102 or higher in 2019, 2020 and here in 2022. This year, he’s hitting .282/.327/.432, 111 wRC+. Combined with his defensive contributions, he’s produced 6.4 wins above replacement in that four-year stretch, according to FanGraphs.

He and the Red Sox agreed to a three-year extension in early 2018, which came with a club option for 2022. That option was eventually exercised by the club, with Vazquez now just a few months away from reaching free agency for the first time. Boston looked like contenders for much of the season but had a dismal showing in July, going 8-19, dropping to the basement of the AL East and 3 1/2 games out of a playoff spot. Given all of those factors, the Sox began entertaining offers and evidently found one to their liking.

For the Astros, they’ve been an obvious fit for a catching addition for quite some time, with both Martin Maldonado and Jason Castro struggling at the plate this year. The Astros have shown themselves to be quite fond of Maldonado in terms of his game calling and clubhouse presence, but he’s hit just .173/.239/.342 on the year for a wRC+ of 66. Castro has been far worse, slashing .115/.205/.179 for a wRC+ of just 15. He also landed on the IL a month ago with a knee injury, only increasing the need for reinforcements behind the plate.

The Astros are clear buyers, sitting on a record of 67-36 that gives them a 12-game lead over the Marines in the AL West. Vazquez is the second pick-up of the day, as they also brought aboard Trey Mancini earlier today, bolstering their lineup for the final months of the season and the postseason.

As for the Red Sox, they are in a much more nebulous position, sitting outside the postseason picture but close enough that the season isn’t exactly pushing up the daisies just yet. With their recent slide, questions have been raised about how they will approach the deadline, with many impending free agents that could conceivably be moved if the Sox are willing. Vazquez was one such name, with J.D. Martinez and Nathan Eovaldi among the others. It seems there won’t be a tidy answer, with the club trying to walk a line between buying and selling. Shortly after the Vazquez deal was announced, the club also reportedly acquired impending free agent Tommy Pham from the Reds, but then also reportedly traded Jake Diekman to the White Sox. With less than 24 hours to go until the deadline, there are likely many more moves to come.

In the immediate term, they add a pair of interesting young players to the farm system. Valdez, 23, is an infielder who is having a breakout season in the minors. Splitting his time between Double-A and Triple-A, he’s hit .327/.410/.606 on the year. Based on that showing, he jumped into the Baseball America list of top Astros’ prospects at their midseason update, coming in at #12. Abreu, 23, is an outfielder with a similar helium-backed trajectory. He’s hit .249/.399/.359 for the year, jumping up to the #21 slot in the Astros system in the BA midseason update.

Mark Berman of Fox 26 was first to report the Astros were acquiring Vazquez in exchange for two prospects. Alex Speier of the Boston Globe was first to report the Red Sox were receiving Valdez and Abreu.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

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Boston Red Sox Houston Astros Newsstand Transactions Christian Vazquez Enmanuel Valdez Wilyer Abreu

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Guardians Select Will Benson

By Mark Polishuk | August 1, 2022 at 7:29pm CDT

The Guardians have selected Will Benson’s contract from Triple-A Columbus, putting the outfielder in line to make his Major League debut.  In corresponding moves, outfielder Alex Call was optioned to Triple-A, while Anthony Gose was moved from the 15-day to the 60-day injured list.

Benson was selected 14th overall by Cleveland in the 2016 draft, but after posting decent but unspectacular numbers in the minors, his prospect stock gradually fell to the point that neither MLB Pipelin or Baseball America list Benson as one of the Guards’ top 30 minor leaguers.  However, Benson seems to have turned a corner in his sixth pro season, and is hitting .279/.426/.522 with 17 home runs over 401 plate appearances in Columbus this year.

While this production comes with the caveat of a .340 BABIP, Benson’s 22.7% strikeout rate is far and away a career low, and is a good sign that the 24-year-old has corrected a longstanding issue in making consistent contact.  If this problem has really been solved, Benson can now better unlock his natural power and bat speed, and might even have some five-tool potential.  Benson also has a strong throwing arm that has mostly placed him in right field throughout his career (but he has seen time in left and center as well), and he has good speed that has allowed him to steal 86 bases in 108 opportunities.

The outfield has long been a weak link in Cleveland, yet the Guardians have now established Steven Kwan and Myles Straw as everyday options in left and center field.  Right field is still a question mark, but top prospect Nolan Jones and the unheralded Oscar Gonzalez have both played well at the position, with Franmil Reyes, Josh Naylor, and Kwan also getting a handful of games in right.  Gonzalez is on a minor league rehab assignment after missing a month due to an intercostal strain, so it is possible Benson might just be a short-term callup until Gonzalez is healthy.

In terms of other lineup openings, Naylor has been slowed by a balky ankle lately, though he is healthy enough to DH.  Reyes has seen the bulk of DH action but he also struggled for much of the 2022 season.  If the Guardians wanted more pop in the lineup, Reyes might lose playing time for other players getting rotated into the DH role, which could create more opportunity for a youngster like Benson to establish himself.

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Cleveland Guardians Transactions Alex Call Anthony Gose Will Benson

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Red Sox Acquire Tommy Pham

By Anthony Franco | August 1, 2022 at 7:24pm CDT

The Red Sox and Reds have announced a deal that will send outfielder Tommy Pham to Boston. Cincinnati will receive a player to be named later or cash considerations in return.

It’s a bit of a surprising move for a Boston team that just agreed to deal away its primary catcher, Christian Vázquez, to the Astros. Yet Red Sox president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom has maintained they’re not approaching the deadline with a strict “buyer’s” or “seller’s” mentality. Rather, Boston has taken a flexible approach that has seen them ship out Vázquez and listen to offers on designated hitter J.D. Martinez while bringing in players like Pham and backstop Reese McGuire. The Sox enter play Monday 3 1/2 games out in the American League Wild Card race, leaving them to navigate a difficult position for the stretch run.

Boston is trying to thread a needle of gaining some long-term talent while not completely punting on the 2022 campaign, and it stands to reason further moves are on the horizon. In Pham, they add a right-handed bat to a corner outfield mix that has been very disappointing. Left fielder Alex Verdugo has underwhelmed to the tune of a .269/.308/.376 showing with just six homers in 402 plate appearances. The club’s right fielders — primarily Jackie Bradley Jr. — are hitting .199/.262/.316.

Pham, who signed a one-year deal with the Reds in Spring Training, has been a bit more productive than Boston’s incumbent corner outfielders. The 34-year-old owns a .238/.320/.374 line with 11 homers in 387 trips to the plate. His 10.9% walk rate, while a career low, is still a bit better than league average. He consistently makes a fair amount of hard contact, although his power output hasn’t aligned with his above-average exit velocities. That’s largely because Pham hits plenty of ground-balls, but he should nevertheless represent an offensive improvement over the Sox’s internal options.

With Cincinnati, Pham played exclusively left field or designated hitter. He figures to see the bulk of his playing time in Fenway in left, with Verdugo presumably kicking to right field and curtailing Bradley’s playing time. Bloom was in the Rays front office during Pham’s peak days with Tampa Bay, and he’s clearly hopeful the veteran outfielder can rediscover something resembling that productive form.

Pham is making $6MM this season, with a bit more than $2MM of that left to be paid. There’s no mention of cash considerations, so it seems Cincinnati will save a bit of money for stretch run. The Reds are likely to get a minor prospect for a player who’d been slated to hit the free agent market after this season.

Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic first reported the Reds were in agreement on a Pham trade. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com named the Red Sox as one of two finalists for Pham. Jim Bowden of the Athletic first reported the Red Sox were acquiring Pham. C. Trent Rosecrans of the Athletic reported the Reds were receiving a player to be named later.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

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Boston Red Sox Cincinnati Reds Newsstand Transactions Tommy Pham

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Braves Sign Austin Riley To Ten-Year Extension

By Anthony Franco | August 1, 2022 at 7:13pm CDT

The Braves announced they’ve signed star third baseman Austin Riley to a ten-year, $212MM contract extension. Riley will make $15MM next season, $21MM in 2024, then $22MM annually through 2032. The deal also contains a 2033 club option valued at $20MM. Riley is a client of ALIGND Sports Agency.

It’s a stunning, out-of-the-blue development that keeps a franchise pillar around for the long haul. The deal buys out the 25-year-old’s final three seasons of arbitration eligibility and extends the club’s window of control by as much as eight years. It locks him in Atlanta for virtually the entirety of his prime, as Riley won’t hit free agency until after his age-35 campaign at the earliest.

A former supplemental first-round pick, Riley quickly blossomed into one of the organization’s top prospects. He reached the majors not long after his 22nd birthday in 2019. Riley was up-and-down for the first couple seasons of his big league career, particularly when he struck out in over 36% of his plate appearances as a rookie. Atlanta stuck with him despite that early inconsistency, however, and they’ve been rewarded since Riley broke out last year.

He appeared in 160 games, blasting 33 home runs with a .303/.367/.531 line. That marks a career-high in longballs to date, but that marker won’t remain his personal best much longer. He’s already connected on 29 homers in 436 plate appearances this season, and he’s hitting .301/.360/.604 altogether. Riley’s pure slash line isn’t much changed from 2021 to ’22, but his slight improvement in bottom line results comes at a time when the league-wide offense has plummeted. By measure of wRC+, Riley’s offensive output has jumped from an already excellent 35 points above average to an eye-popping 63 points above par.

Among qualified hitters, only Yordan Álvarez, Aaron Judge, Paul Goldschmidt, Rafael Devers and Mike Trout have a better wRC+ this season. That’s reinforced by batted ball metrics than place Riley among the game’s elite bats. His 93.7 MPH average exit velocity is more than five MPH above the league average. His 55.9% hard contact rate is also among the league’s best, as is his 17.6% barrel rate. Simply put, few batters hit the ball as hard as Riley does frequently.

Of course, Riley’s power has never really been in question. His issue earlier in his career was in making contact, but the Mississippi native has made huge strides in that regard. After making contact on only 63% of his swings as a rookie, Riley has gotten the bat on the ball around 73% of the time in each of the last three seasons. That’s not great, but it’s more than sufficient for a player with his power production. Riley still has an aggressive approach and goes out of the strike zone a fair amount, but his excellent batted ball results make up for what may always be a slightly lower than average walk rate.

Going back to the start of 2021, Riley owns a .302/.364/.560 slash in just under 1100 plate appearances. He looks like a bona fide slugger, and the Braves are surely happy to lock him into the middle of the lineup for the next decade. Riley earned a Silver Slugger Award and finished seventh in NL MVP voting last year, and he picked up his first of what the club envisions to be many All-Star nods this season.

The Braves have now committed to 75% of their infield over the long-term. Atlanta signed Matt Olson to an eight-year, $168MM deal within days of acquiring him from the Athletics in Spring Training. They’d previously had Ozzie Albies signed affordably through 2025 (with club options for 2026 and ’27). That leaves Dansby Swanson as the lone member of the Atlanta infield not under contract for the foreseeable future, as the shortstop is set to hit free agency at the end of this year.

Atlanta also has Ronald Acuña Jr. under contract for the bulk of the decade, giving them a young position player core around which to build. In the estimation of Jason Martinez of Roster Resource, the club’s 2023 payroll jumps to around $113MM (not including salaries for arbitration-eligible players). They’re around $87MM for 2024 and between $60MM and $70MM for the following two years. Atlanta’s 2022 payroll, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts, is a franchise-record $177.7MM. That should leave them some flexibility to re-sign or replace Swanson, particularly since key contributors like Michael Harris II, Kyle Wright, Spencer Strider and Ian Anderson won’t reach arbitration until at least 2024. It’s a strong long-term position for president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos and his staff as they look to build off last year’s World Series title and construct a long-term juggernaut.

As Buster Olney of ESPN points out (Twitter link), Riley’s extension goes down as the largest investment in Atlanta franchise history. It’s the second-largest extension ever for a player with between two and three years of MLB service, trailing only Fernando Tatis Jr.’s 14-year, $340MM megadeal. Among other players in that service bucket, only future Hall of Famers Mike Trout and Buster Posey signed deals that even topped nine figures. It’s a strong gesture of faith on the organization’s part, then, but it also has the potential to be a bargain. Riley’s flat $22MM salaries for what would be seven free agent seasons would be a very team-friendly figure, with players of his caliber often approaching or topping $30MM annually on free agent deals.

Such is the nature of early-career extensions. Riley sacrifices some long-term earnings upside for up-front guaranteed money, and he’ll receive quite a bit more in 2023 than he would’ve had he proceeded through arbitration. Riley reached arbitration for the first time last winter as a Super Two player and received a $3.95MM salary. An MVP-caliber showing would’ve earned him a notable raise next winter, but next year’s salary certainly still wouldn’t have approached $15MM. By paying a bit more up-front, the Braves give themselves further longer-term flexibility with essentially flat salaries for the bulk of the contract thereafter.

While it’s not an external pickup, Riley’s extension will quite likely go down as the Braves biggest move of deadline season. They’ve committed to yet another star young player to bolster a long-term core that should have them as consistent competitors in the NL East for years to come.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

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Atlanta Braves Newsstand Transactions Austin Riley

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    Red Sox Likely To Activate Alex Bregman Tomorrow

    Astros To Promote Brice Matthews

    Phillies Reportedly Targeting Controllable Relievers

    Yankees Prioritizing Pitching, Also Searching For Infield Help

    Orioles Trade Bryan Baker To Rays

    Yankees Release DJ LeMahieu

    Trevor Williams To Undergo UCL Surgery

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