The Atlanta Braves have made a few minor moves within the last few days. As the trade deadline approaches rapidly, they could be looking to make a splash to enhance the struggling bullpen.
Jordan Hicks and the St. Louis Cardinals have not been able to reach an agreement on a contract extension yet, which very well could indicate that he will be traded before August 1st.
Hicks is 1-6 with a 3.67 ERA this season. The Win/Loss record is not as concerning as the near 4.00 ERA. Often times pitchers get pinned with a loss due to things out of their control, such as run support (or the lack thereof). His FIP is impressive, however, at 3.02 and that's a career-best number for him.
Even with a 3.67 ERA, Hicks has some great potential with the velocity and movement of his pitches. A fastball that can reach triple digits on a consitent basis could be a great weapon for Atlanta's bullpen. Outside of having a lively fastball, there are a couple of other reasons why it makes sense for Alex Anthopolus to pursue Jordan Hicks.
Jordan Hicks, Wicked 102.5mph Sinker. 🤢 pic.twitter.com/KFXbMpYa3i
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 25, 2023
What Hicks Could Bring
While they still possess the third-best ERA in baseball, the Braves bullpen lacks a pitcher they can trust to strike batters out when needed. Hicks could be the guy to fill in that gap as he has struck out 59 in just 42.1 innings pitched.
Jordan Hicks, Wicked 102.5mph Sinker. 🤢 pic.twitter.com/KFXbMpYa3i
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 25, 2023
For a pitcher who relies on a high-velocity sinker that has topped out at 104 mph, control almost always seems to be a point of concern. For Jordan Hicks that is not as much of a concern. He has only issued 24 free passes all season. Hicks would be joining a bullpen that has the 2nd fewest walks in the MLB, only behind the Texas Rangers, who are rumored to be the current front-runners to acquire him.
Adding Hicks to the bullpen could give Brian Snitker some flexibility when calling to the bullpen in late-game situations. Having both Hicks and Rasiel Iglesias could be a real weapon by allowing either to put out a fire in the 7th or 8th inning while still having an experienced closer available for the 9th.