Atlanta Braves: 5 pitchers to replace Mike Soroka in the rotation
By Seth Carter
Atlanta Braves – Trade Targets
The expanded playoff format will probably make more teams less interested in trading. However, there are a couple of players that might still be available for a price. Here are a couple of names that come to mind when you think the final year of contract on teams who might be eliminated by the August 31 trade deadline.
Atlanta Braves – Jeff Samardzija
Jeff Samardzija is in the final couple months of his contract with the Giants. If they don’t get anything for him, they get nothing for him. Any team that wants to deal for the 13-year veteran has some leverage.
The Giants are currently 5-6 and could find themselves in a position to move a guy like Samardzija. Over his 13 MLB seasons, he has a solid 4.13 ERA. He’s been an ace at his best, granted those days are in the rearview mirror. He is coming off of a phenomenal season with 32 starts and a 3.52 ERA in 2019.
Atlanta Braves – Robbie Ray
We need innings to be eaten and Robbie Ray can strike dudes out with the best of them.
Robbie Ray has been a solid pitcher over the years, racking up a lot of strikeouts and quite a few walks. Ray is only 28-years-old with a similar career ERA (4.11) to Samardzija’s 4.13.
Between 2017-2019 he posted a 3.72 ERA with a manageable 4.4 walks per nine while striking out 12.1 batters per nine. Ray strikes guys out like a backend reliever, but he does it from the start of the game.
He is in the final year of his contract and things are not going well for the Diamondbacks so far this season. If their struggles continue, he may be worth kicking the tires on.
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The trade deadline is August 31st.