5 more possible reliever trade options for the Atlanta Braves
If you hate seeing relief pitchers walk batters, then you might like this list… which is also why the Atlanta Braves might be interested as well.
On the surface, walks really don’t seem to have been a problem for the Atlanta Braves bullpen. Overall, their walk rate is right at 3.0 per 9 innings — 6th-best in baseball.
Trouble is, though… some pitchers are better than others in this regard.
Dylan Lee has actually put himself among the best in the sport with a strikeout rate of 13.94 per 9 innings and no walks in the past 30 days. No wonder he’s getting higher-profile appearances now.
Will Smith? His K-rate over the same period is almost the same (12.86), but his walk rate — 1 per inning — is not up to par.
Ditto for Darren O’Day (5 walks per 9 in the last month). Even Jackson Stephens (3.86) and Kenley Jansen (3.18) are above the team average during that time.
It’s clear that the Braves front office values strike-throwers. That’s been a theme for a while, but no more obviously so than when reviewing the stats of the top draftees this month: video-game-like results were seen across the board.
Sure, that’s from high school kids facing over-matched talent, but they are still throwing the ball in the strike zone a lot.
That leads us to today’s list… and you might watch to see if the Braves do pick up one of these guys over the next 72 hours or so.
The original list had 6 names on it. That was reduced by one, though, since the Dodgers snapped up old friend Chris Martin before I could get this on the virtual paper.
Source: The Cubs are receiving Zach McKinstry in the Chris Martin trade with the Dodgers.
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) July 30, 2022
So let’s now take a look at (the remaining?) 5 possible non-walking relief targets for Atlanta.
5. John Schreiber/BOS
There are two possible problems with getting John Schreiber from the Red Sox. First is that Boston is still in a bit of limbo about what they should do this weekend. But at 50-51 on the year and sitting in last place, you’d think they ought to consider a few changes.
The other problem involves Schreiber himself. He’s probably too good to get.
This is a 28-year-old who isn’t a free agent until after the 2026 season and has a 1.66 ERA over 38 innings while sporting a 0.763 WHIP. He can also save a game in a pinch (3 saves). Oh my.
But with 44 strikeouts and just 8 walks, you’d think he ought to be on the radar. But while most relievers shouldn’t cost much to get, there might be an exception to that rule here, for the Red Sox… are truly in a quandary about how they should proceed right now: reboot or reload?
4. Joe Jimenez/DET
No problem in determining whether Detroit is a seller: that ship sailed some time ago. But Joe Jimenez does have another year of team control beyond 2022 (which might still be attractive to the Braves).
His numbers are solid: 3 ERA, 0.974 WHIP (though that’s greatly reduced from prior years) and in 39 innings, he’s K’s 55 while walking just 8.
Clearly something has clicked into place for him this season as his walks are way down and he hasn’t yet hit a batter (8 HBP last season). Even his game logs are appealing… and unsurprisingly, when he has had a rare breakdown, walks were usually involved.
In addition, his homer rate was cut in half year-over-year, and hitter OPS is also way down to a paltry .557. Get me some of that in the Braves bullpen!
3. Taylor Clarke/KC
The Royals probably would require some serious “convincing” to let Taylor Clarke go. He’s 29, but still under team control for the next four seasons after this… and is making just under $1 million.
The flip side is that his numbers are solid, though some are unspectacular, and thus they might be “convinced”: 3.83 ERA and a 1.157 WHIP among them.
He’s not a strikeout machine, per se (8.1 per 9IP), but only walks 1.3 per game equivalent. At 42 innings so far (40 appearances), he’d be good to call upon a lot.
Maybe if the Braves are really after Michael A. Taylor, a package deal could be arranged here?
More on the Braves’ pursuit of an outfielder: according to a source, Atlanta has Michael A. Taylor on its radar. Taylor is in the first year of a two-year, $9 million deal with the Royals.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) July 30, 2022
2. Victor Arano/WSH
Here’s another case of a reliever who’s 27 and still has a ton of team control available. In this case it’s 3 seasons beyond this year… but it’s the Nationals and how much would they really hold up the Braves given a decent offer?
Victor Arano is actually a sleeper pick here since his core numbers (4.61 ERA, 1.207 WHIP) don’t look particularly great… and he’s only logged 27 innings.
But let’s look beyond that and his 28/6 K-to-BB ratio… let’s check his game logs.
First off, Arano was on the injured list from June 6 to July 22 with an inflamed knee. That accounts for the lower innings total.
In 28 appearances, there were 3 hiccups where opponents scores 3 runs or more. 21 times he allowed none, walking only 3 during those scoreless outings.
It would be an interesting play, but Arano does deserve some consideration.
1. Joe Mantiply/ARZ
Conveniently, Joe Mantiply happens to be in Atlanta right now. He’s the oldest of this group at 31½ and has gotten himself to the major despite being dissed by many teams in the draft (48th round/Mets, 28th round/Phillies, 27th round/Tigers).
Mantiply came around slowly as you might therefore have expected, and thus he’s still got four years of team control despite his age.
This year, though: 2.35 ERA in 42 appearances (38.1 innings) and a 1.017 WHIP. The point of this list, though is about walks and he’s handed out just two free passes against 38 strikeouts.
His game logs show 6 times — out of the 42 — where he allowed any runs at all: 3 on two occasions; 1 each for the rest. As his WHIP might suggest, he’s allowed no hits in 32 outings.
I have no idea how to valuate (is that a word?) an older reliever with that much team control who seems to have blossomed this year (3.40 ERA/1.56 WHIP last year… not much MLB time prior to that), but the Braves might do well to ask.
The other obvious downside? He’s a southpaw, and the Braves could probably use a right-hander… though Kirby Yates might fulfill that requirement.
Next. Got 'em All!. dark
As we say, though: this guy is already in the house.