Arizona Diamondbacks acquire Shelby Miller from Atlanta Braves
The Arizona Diamondbacks have acquired Shelby Miller from the Atlanta Braves, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports. Joel Sherman of the New York Post adds that the Braves will be receiving a package of Ender Inciarte, Dansby Swanson and Aaron Blair in return.
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Arizona has been linked to Miller for about a week, as they’ve been on the hunt for an affordable starter to add to the rotation along with big-ticket signing Zack Greinke. Talks reportedly stalled when the Braves demanded center fielder A.J. Pollock in talks, though the Diamondbacks were still reportedly optimistic about landing Miller as of Tuesday morning.
Miller likes figures to be pencilled in as Arizona’s two- or three-starter, joining ace Greinke and Patrick Corbin to form a strong top three. The 25-year-old posted a 3.02 ERA in 33 starts in 2015, but suffered from serious lack of run support and posted a misleading 6-17 record. Miller’s season was good enough to earn him a trip to his first All-Star Game, and he also logged over 200 innings (205.1) for the first time in his career.
As a Super Two, Miller will be arbitration eligible for the first time this winter, and is under team control through the 2018 season. The Diamondbacks could approach the young right-hander about an extension, though they may want to see more consistency from Miller before locking him in for several seasons.
The Braves didn’t get Pollock like they had hoped, but they did manage to get more than their fair share. After placing fifth in National League Rookie of the Year voting in 2014, Inciarte returned to post an even better season last year, hitting .303 with 38 extra-base hits, 45 RBIs and 21 stolen bases. He also fits the ideal mold for Atlanta currently, as he’s still owed the rookie minimum in 2016 before becoming arbitration eligible for the first time next winter as a Super Two.
Swanson, the first overall pick in last June’s draft, instantly sits amongst the top young talent in the Braves farm system. The former Vanderbilt shortstop becomes the future replacement for departed Andrelton Simmons, as new Braves shortstop Erick Aybar has just one year remaining on his deal. Atlanta general manager John Coppolella also managed to poach Touki Touissant from Arizona last year to cover Bronson Arroyo’s 2015 salary.
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The Braves not yet be done adding talent, either, as they could still trade Aybar, Freddie Freeman, Julio Teheran, Nick Markakis, Michael Bourn, Nick Swisher or Christian Betancourt. Regardless, Atlanta seems set to have a team infused with young talent coming in the near future as they open their new ballpark in 2017.