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Atlanta Braves: 3 trade proposals to improve the bullpen now

By Jake Mastroianni

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JULY 06: Will Smith #13 of the San Francisco Giants celebrates after the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at AT&T Park on July 6, 2018 in San Francisco, California. The San Francisco Giants defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2. (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JULY 06: Will Smith #13 of the San Francisco Giants celebrates after the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at AT&T Park on July 6, 2018 in San Francisco, California. The San Francisco Giants defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2. (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images) /
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DETROIT, MI – APRIL 7: Jake  Diekman #40 of the Kansas City Royals pitches during the eighth inning of the game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on April 7, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI – APRIL 7: Jake  Diekman #40 of the Kansas City Royals pitches during the eighth inning of the game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on April 7, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /

Jake  Diekman

This is a deal that should have been made during the offseason, but now the Atlanta Braves will have to give up a prospect to get him.

The 32-year-old reliever signed a one-year deal with the Kansas City Royals this past season with a mutual option for 2020. He’ll make just $2.25 million in 2019, and his mutual option for 2020 has a $500,000 buyout.

Again, another very inexpensive option that can help fix the Atlanta Braves bullpen.

Jake Diekman, a left-handed pitcher, has been around the league for a while. In eight seasons he has a career ERA of 3.77, a WHIP of 1.40, a K/9 of 10.6, and a BB/9 of 4.9.

He is also out to a slow start — it must be a thing for relievers in 2019 — with a 4.70 ERA in 7.2 innings on 6 hits and 4 walks with 9 strikeouts.

Right now he would be more of a lefty specialist for the Braves bullpen as lefties are just 1-10 against him this season.

I would take him over Jesse Biddle right now, and maybe even A.J. Minter who are the only lefties in the Braves bullpen at the moment.

The Atlanta Braves get an experienced lefty reliever, and the Royals get a prospect who at the very least could be a solid lefty reliever one day.

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