At 11:55 PM yesterday the Atlanta Braves announced that they have acquired right-handed reliever and former Atlanta Brave Luke Jackson along with 2021 World Series MVP for the Atlanta Braves Jorge Soler from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for left-handed reliever and 2021 NLCS hero Tyler Matzek and minor-league INF Sabin Ceballos. Mike and Beau reacted to this move earlier today on The Morning Shift.
“Kind of exciting. I really don’t know what to expect from Jorge Soler in terms of what he brings to the table. Obviously you have to have a bat, can he be that guy that really is that lynchpin for this offense I don’t know, I think you still have to have the Austin Riley’s and Matt Olson’s and everybody else start to hit in this lineup but Braves had to do something and it didn’t cost you much and you know therefore hopefully something can kind of get this thing cranked off as we are barreling down on the month of August.” Mike Johnson said.
Beau Morgan said he “didn’t know how to feel” about the move because he likes the fact the Braves brought in a bat that could provide a spark for this team, but his reservation about the move comes from not being sure about what the Braves have planned for Soler after this season once the outfield is back to full strength.
“You got to look at the contract he just signed, that’s the sticker for me is the contract that Jorge Soler comes with because he just signed a contract with the Giants and you know it’s something that when you go and look at it you have two more years and the next two years he’ll be making $16 million dollars. I’m just curious what the end result is.” Beau said.
Soler, who has been hot from the plate lately, can definitely help an inconsistent Braves offense right now, but to Beau’s point Marcell Ozuna has a $16 million-dollar team option that the Braves will more than likely pick-up after this season because of the monster year Ozuna is having, but where does that leave Soler next season?
If the Braves do indeed pick up Ozuna’s option, with Jarred Kelenic, Michael Harris, and Ronald Acuña Jr. all under contract next season as well that leaves the 2021 World Series MVP without a spot in the starting lineup, and it doesn’t make a lot of sense to have a guy making that kind of money be a bench player.
Are the Braves planning to just trade Soler after this season? He could have some trade value if he has a second half like he did with the Braves in 2021, but that’s not guaranteed, so we’ll see find out what Soler’s future looks like in Atlanta in due time, but right now with the 2021 NLCS MVP and 2021 World Series MVP both back on the roster, Alex Anthopoulos and the Braves have made it clear they’re trying to catch lighting in a bottle twice.