As we approach the All-Star break, here are some possible options as the Atlanta Braves (50-35) scour the Trade Market for relief pitching help.
Sometimes, perception is reality. That is never more apparent than watching your home team’s relief core blow a lead late in the game, or even worse, walk slowly to the dugout while the other team bounces on home plate. There are fewer fanbases more hypersensitive to this scenario than the Atlanta Braves right now.
Especially given how the Braves bullpen struggled so badly during the NLDS last year against the Los Angeles Dodgers, ultimately leading to their elimination from the postseason. Sprinkle on the bacon bits of stumbling out of the gate, walking anyone with a bat and a pulse through the month of April, and now the rage is reaching epic proportions.
But first, let’s take a deep breath, and a sobering look at reality, thanks to our friends at Fangraphs :
- Overall, the Atlanta Braves rank 4th best in MLB in reliever ERA, just behind the Rays, Indians, and Astros.
- Sean Newcomb has emerged as a straight up elite reliever, sporting a 1.75 ERA, and most importantly, only walking 4 batters in 25.2 Innings, and of course Luke Jackson’s ascension from obscurity to the Closer role (though he has cooled off lately).
- They’re allowing roughly 4 walks per 9 innings, which sounds bad (and kinda is, ranks 20th in MLB), but is a lot better than the 5 walks per 9 they allowed through May 15th.
So yeah, there’s still some work to be done, and that’s where the trade market comes in. While the deadline is still a ways off, there are already teams that are flirting with “sell mode”, and might be ready to ship the most tradable commodity in baseball, relief pitching, in return for prospects, or more. Here are a couple of those options: