Should the Atlanta Braves look to bring back Mike Minor in a deal?

With the expanded playoff field in 2020, many teams could choose to buy rather than sell. For the Atlanta Braves, that means trade options could be limited. Who could they target?

The Atlanta Braves have had rotation issues a plenty, including injuries, opt outs and inconsistency. One possible target could be a former pitcher, a lefty- Mike Minor.

Dubiously, Minor can be remembered as the Atlanta Braves’ draft pick the same year that if they were psychics- could have selected Mike Trout. Minor was picked seventh out of Vanderbilt, while Trout hung around with over two-thirds of the league missing on him, being selected 25th.

Anyway, Minor, in his own right, never really lived up to his first round moniker. Over his four-year tenure with the Atlanta Braves, he was 38-36 with a 4.14 ERA, striking out 556 batters over 652.2 innings pitched. He was serviceable 4th or 5th starter, but no staff ace.

During 2015 spring training, Mike Minor experienced shoulder discomfort and eventually underwent surgery for a torn labrum. He didn’t return to a major league mound until 2017 with the Kansas City Royals, where he found success as a reliever, pitching to a 2.66 ERA and notching six saves. The Texas Rangers signed him there after and he pitched closely with his career averages in 2018 and was an All-Star in 2019 on the strength of a 8-4 first half with a 2.54 ERA.

So, at his best, Minor is a All-Star, but at his worst, unfortunately, may just be what 2020 has represented. Right now for the Rangers, Minor is 0-5 and has been knocked around, giving up 22 runs over 29.1 innings. However, he’s still striking out a batter an inning and has walked just 10 batters. Overall, mostly bad news mixed with a little good.

The lefty is in the final year of a three year pact with the Texas Rangers, so he’d be a rental for the Atlanta Braves. With the Rangers lack of success in 2020, it’s possible they could look to flip Minor for a prospect that’s not really on the radar- but any deal involving Minor would have to be incredibly low cost given his lack of success this year.

With non-bargain bin options like Zach Plesac on the table, it makes sense if the Atlanta Braves don’t want to spend prospect capital.

Minor would be a lottery ticket acquisition at best and certainly doesn’t represent the best option- but it’s a shallow pool to choose from. If the Atlanta Braves can get him for the price of a scratcher, it could be a good time.