The Braves will regroup by bringing back slugger Jorge Soler and relief pitcher Luke Jackson, who played big roles on the 2021 World Series-winning team in a trade with the San Francisco Giants.
The Braves sent left-handed relief pitcher Tyler Matzek, who has missed most of the season with an injury, and promising third baseman/outfielder Savin Ceballos to the Giants in the trade.
Soler has been a designated hitter all season with San Francisco and has never played in the outfield, but he played 31 games in right field with the Marlins last season and has the athletic talent to play the position. The Braves obviously have a designated hitter in All-Star Marcell Ozuna, but they didn’t want to miss the opportunity to add Soler’s power to an injury-plagued offense that has been shaky for much of the season.
Going deeper
The Giants traded Jorge Soler and Luke Jackson, but no big sales are expected
Soler is hitting modestly (.240 with 12 homers and a .749 OPS) in 93 games with the Giants, but the Braves acquired him in the middle of a .312 batting average with eight extra bases (two homers), eight RBIs, a whopping 15 walks, a .447 on-base percentage and a .972 OPS over his past 17 games. He’s due to receive $13 million in signing bonuses over each of the next two seasons. Ozuna is under contract through this season with a $16 million team option for 2025 and a $1 million buyout.
The Braves got a big payoff when they acquired Soler from Kansas City at the 2021 trade deadline. After signing with Atlanta, Soler hit 14 home runs with an .882 OPS in 55 regular season games to help the Braves come from behind to win the NL East. He then batted .300 with three home runs and a 1.191 OPS in a six-game series against the Houston Astros to be named World Series MVP, which he won after he tested positive for COVID-19 and missed the majority of the NL Championship Series.
Jackson, 32, spent five seasons with the Braves in 2021 and posted a career-best 1.98 ERA in 71 games before making 11 postseason appearances, including three shutout innings in the World Series. He struggled this season with a 5.40 ERA in 36 games and has a $7 million team option for 2025 with a $2 million buyout.
Matzek became a huge fan favorite among Braves fans due to his iconic performance in Game 6 of the 2021 National League Championship Series against the Dodgers, the most dramatic of his 11 scoreless starts in 13 postseason appearances. Matzek posted a 1.72 ERA with 24 strikeouts and four walks in 15 2/3 innings.
Matzek missed the 2022 postseason and all of 2023 while recovering from Tommy John surgery and several related setbacks this year that limited him to just 11 starts and a 9.90 ERA to start the season. Matzek has not pitched since May 4.
The 21-year-old Ceballos is a 6-foot-3, 225-pound prospect whose athleticism, hitting technique and natural power make him intriguing. He was drafted in the third round by the Braves in 2023 after hitting 18 homers and posting a 1.069 OPS at Oregon, but has yet to match that power in High-A, posting a .353 on-base percentage with 24 extra-base hits (three homers) in 377 at-bats. Atlanta has third baseman Austin Riley under contract through 2032.
(Photo of Jorge Soler on June 3rd by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
