Jorge Soler was one of the brightest stars during the Braves World Series run in 2021. He was the MVP with a .300 average in the series including three homers and six RBI. Soler was just the second Cuban-born player to earn World Series MVP since Liván Hernández in 1997.
However, Soler left Atlanta after that and signed with the Marlins for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. He opted out of the third year of that contract and signed a three-year deal with the Giants in 2024. His first half of the season was rough in San Francisco but with Atlanta needing a slugger who gets on base, Soler landed back with his former team at the trade deadline.
Things didn't start very well as he struggled during his first month back. Soler had a .194 average with 14 hits including five homers, 12 RBI, 16 walks, and 23 K. He also has played awfully on the defensive side as indicated by his -7 OAA.
Despite those struggles, one thing remained strong: his ability to get on base as his .348 OBP from July 1 to August 31 proved.
Jorge Soler is getting hot for the Braves at just the right time
September has been a different story as the Braves right fielder carries a line of .290/.359/.551 with 20 hits including six doubles, four homers, 12 RBI, six walks, 20 strikeouts, and a .910 OPS. His walks haven't been as frequent but he's making contact with the ball much more often and for power. That's exactly what the team wanted from him.
Definition of absolutely tanked: This Jorge Soler homer pic.twitter.com/1afnklO7R1
— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) September 21, 2024
Soler has an incredible 11.8% walk rate in 2024 which is in the 92nd percentile across baseball. His whiff and strikeout rates aren't great but that's common for most power bats. He makes up for it with a great barrel (12.4) and hard-hit (43.9) percentage along with excellent bat speed (75.4 mph) which is 14th in Major League Baseball.
Jorge is heating up at the perfect time for the Braves who are fighting for their spot in the postseason. Atlanta is on a five-game winning streak and finds themselves one game up in the second Wild Card spot, despite being two games behind for the third WC spot a week ago.
If Soler can carry this momentum into the playoffs, he could be looking at another chance at a postseason MVP honor with Atlanta. He's finally doing exactly what the Braves hoped he would and shows Alex Anthopoulos was wise to take another shot on him.