Braves get right-handed outfielder from Giants

Ever since Ronald Acuña Jr. tore his ACL earlier this year, the baseball world has known that the Atlanta Braves and Alex Anthopoulos will be looking to add outfielders to replace him.

After weeks of speculation, Atlanta finally acquired their player. Just like in 2021, when Acuña went down, the Braves are acquiring outfielder Jorge Soler to fill the void. I had speculated on this situation and predicted a Soler trade to Atlanta in late May, shortly after Acuña went down.

Late Monday night, the Braves agreed to a trade with the San Francisco Giants that would send outfielder Jorge Soler and reliever Luke Jackson to Atlanta.

For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast and join the Discord for inside information as we approach the July 30 MLB trade deadline.

Here’s the full trade that sent Soler and Jackson to Atlanta:

Soler, 32, is hitting .240/.330/.419 this season with 12 home runs and 23 doubles for the Giants. The right-handed slugger has 40-home run potential each season he stays healthy. Over the Braves’ final 57 games, they could see Soler hit 10-15 home runs with ease. He’s exactly that kind of slugger. He’s tied to two more years of his contract worth $16 million per season. It’s very important to note that Atlanta is taking over the contract, so they’ll pay Soler $13 million in 2025 and $13 million in 2026.

Jackson, 32, has struggled this year for the Giants. He currently owns a 5.40 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 4.49 FIP through 35 innings. The reliever has a $7 million club option in 2025, but it’s unlikely to be picked up, so he could be treated as a rental option in the Braves’ bullpen.

Matzek, 33, is on the 60-day disabled list with an elbow injury. This season, the left-hander has pitched 10 innings, allowing 11 earned runs on 16 hits in that span. He has a club option in 2025 that the Giants likely will decline.

Ceballos, 21, is hitting .259/.353/.354 in High-A this year. He was one of the most likely prospects to be traded at this deadline because he is a very talented infielder. He has a very strong arm and a super capable bat, making him a very high-level prospect if he can put the pieces together down the road.

Atlanta was able to acquire the player Anthopoulos wanted while only losing a top-30 prospect. The Braves eat the contract, which they don’t mind if it means a World Series this season or next. The Giants can shed Soler’s salary while adding a high-upside prospect. The trade seems pretty solid for both teams.

Braves Business Class: A-

Giants Ranking: A-