In separate moves on Monday night, the Atlanta Braves filled a couple of needs by acquiring starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi and outfielder Robbie Grossman.
Entering the trade deadline the Atlanta Braves were looking for an outfielder to replace the loss of Adam Duvall and some depth in the starting rotation.
Within a span of 10 minutes, they helped solve both of those problems on Monday night.
The first came in a swap of veterans with big contracts as the Braves got starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi from the Houston Astros for reliever Will Smith.
The Houston Astros are acquiring LHP Will Smith from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for SP Jake Odorizzi, per @MarkBermanFox26. pic.twitter.com/E57wqCIlg3
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 2, 2022
Smith is in the last year of his deal as his $13 million option for 2023 is not likely to be picked up.
His time in Atlanta had plenty of ups-and-downs, but there is no questioning his importance in closing out games during the 2021 postseason where he was lights out.
Odorizzi is also a potential impending free agent. He has a $6.5 million player option for 2023 with a $3.25 million buyout.
The 32-year-old righty has been a bit underwhelming in Houston, but the numbers are solid for a fourth or fifth start in a rotation.
This year he has a 3.75 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 60 innings. He doesn’t strikeout a lot of batters, but he also doesn’t walk a lot and relies on weak contact, which should play well with the Braves’ infield defense.
There has been no mention of money swapping, so we assume the Astros are taking on all of the money still owed to Smith this season.
With Odorizzi’s big buyout, the money swap is essentially even in the end.
This is a really good and savvy move that we’ve come to expect from Alex Anthopoulos who fills a need for rotation depth and is able to move a player that really had no spot in the Braves’ bullpen.
Braves Also Trade for Robbie Grossman
Robbie Grossman is a player who we talked about a lot at last year’s deadline as someone the Braves could get to help revamp their outfield.
The #Tigers are getting LHP Kris Anglin in return from Atlanta in the Robbie Grossman trade.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) August 2, 2022
Last year Grossman belted 23 home runs and had a .357 on-base percentage. Those numbers have flatted a good bit this year with just 2 home runs and a slash line of .205/.313/.282.
But the switch-hitter has crushed lefties this year batting .364 against them with a .999 OPS. That certainly takes care of the right-handed bat lost with Duvall.
His defensive metrics in left field this year are pretty good, but for his career his a below-average defender.
Even though he’s a switch-hitter, Grossman will essentially become a platoon partner in left field with Eddie Rosario … unless there is a bigger move still to come.
In exchange for Grossman, the Braves sent 20-year-old pitching prospect Kris Anglin to the Detroit Tigers.
Anglin was a 16th-round pick in 2021 who had a 5.93 ERA and 1.433 WHIP in 52.1 innings with 56 strikeouts between the Braves’ rookie and Single-A levels this year.
Both of these moves, and the move for Ehire Adrianza, create some solid depth for the Braves down the stretch. We’ll see what else Alex Anthopoulos has up his sleeve on deadline day.