Braves acquire 2021 playoff heroes Jorge Soler and Luke Jackson from Giants

To create room on the 40-man roster, the Braves designated right-hander Darius Vines for assignment.

The Braves brought back familiar faces from a special period — at a time when they need positives. Soler and Jackson join the Braves for a critical period in which the club needs to get going. So far, the Braves’ offense has been a disappointment. The club recently lost six straight games for the first time since 2017. And Monday’s loss dropped the Braves to 37-42 since play began on April 29.

Braves president of baseball operations and general manager Alex Anthopoulos didn’t sit back and watch others make deals. He joined in the fun by adding a big man to his roster and another arm to his bullpen. The Braves know both players well.

Will Soler solve Atlanta’s offensive problems? He’s not alone. But he could be part of the solution. And it’s worth a try.

Soler, who homered in the World Series and may not have been hit yet, is hitting .240 with a .749 OPS, 12 home runs and 40 RBIs. Three years ago, when Anthopoulos first traded him, Soler was hitting .192 with 13 bombs for Kansas City.

Credits: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@

Credits: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@

Soler hasn’t played in the outfield this season, but the Braves plan to have him play in the corners of the outfield. That means Marcell Ozuna will continue to be their full-time designated hitter. The Braves haven’t had much production in their outfield since Ronald Acuña Jr. tore his ACL in late May, so Soler could help in that regard. He should stretch out their lineup a bit. He can change a game with one hit.

Then there’s this: Manager Brian Snitker can hit Soler first, as he did in 2021. Jarred Kelenic struggled to fill the leadoff spot in July, and Soler could help solve that problem — at least for now.

Jackson has a 5.40 ERA over 35 innings. He’s part of one of the best bullpens in baseball. With everyone rested, Jackson likely won’t pitch the final innings because the Braves are in a good spot. They didn’t need another reliever. But Jackson was a big part of The Night Shift — the nickname for the Braves’ bullpen in 2021 — and was a positive part of the locker room during his previous stint in Atlanta.

In February, Soler and the Giants agreed to a three-year, $42 million contract. The Braves will assume the remainder of his $10 million salary this season and his $13 million salary each of the next two years. He appears poised to be part of their future. They will also give Jackson the remainder of his $6.5 million salary for this year, then decide on his $7 million club option for next season or pay a $2 million buyout.

Credits: AP

Credits: AP

The Braves didn’t give up much to get the trade. They probably wouldn’t have needed Matzek, who has been on injured reserve with left elbow inflammation since May 7. And they couldn’t send him back when he was ready, so it made sense.

Braves fans may be disappointed to see Matzek go, though. He produced one of the most electric playoff moments imaginable when he struck out three batters against the Dodgers to help Atlanta clinch a World Series berth three years ago. The Braves and their fans will always remember him fondly.

The Braves and Giants traded relievers for financial reasons. Matzek is making just $1.9 million this season, so San Francisco should save some money at the end of the season.

The Braves drafted Ceballos, a third baseman, in the third round of the draft a year ago after watching him at the University of Oregon. In his first full season of professional baseball, he was hitting .259 with a .707 OPS for High-A Rome before the trade. He has three homers and 30 RBIs.

Baseball America ranked Ceballos as the Braves’ No. 26 prospect. The site said Ceballos is a physical third baseman with raw power and a strong arm, but he lacks defensive range. Braves third baseman Austin Riley signed a long-term deal, so Ceballos made sense as a trade chip.

Vines, who was collateral damage, allowed three runs — two earned — in one inning in Monday’s loss. He has been with Atlanta since the organization drafted him in the seventh round in 2019. He made his debut last year. He spent most of this season in the minor leagues.

Vines was the last arm to appear for Atlanta in a gut-wrenching loss to Milwaukee on Monday. The Braves scored the first two runs of the game, then watched the Brewers score eight unanswered runs after that.

By bringing in Soler and Jackson, two World Series fan favorites, Anthopoulos erased the ugliness of the night and turned it into hope. The trade shows his confidence in the club despite a difficult season so far.

The Braves are better now than they were when they last retired on Monday.