MLB Trade Grades: With Jorge Soler deal, Braves get the gang back together

Atlanta Braves get: DH Jorge Soler, RHP Luke Jackson

San Francisco Giants get: LHP Tyler Matzek, 3B/OF Sabin Ceballos

Grant Brisbee: It looked like the Braves were going for a heartwarming reunion of their 2021 World Series team, getting Jorge Soler and Luke Jackson, but the goodwill was sucked out of the room when it was announced that Tyler Matzek was going back to the Giants. HAVE YOU NO DECENCY, ALEX ANTHOPOULOS, SIR?

In all seriousness, though, the deal makes sense for both sides … with a catch. Or a non-catch. But we’ll get to that. Soler is valuable to the Braves because of his bat, and the World Series MVP was one of the hottest hitters on the Giants in July, taking plenty of walks and hitting doubles and home runs. Since falling under the Mendoza Line on May 31, Soler has put up an .860 OPS. He’s probably still the hitter the Giants thought they were getting, and the hitter that the Braves desperately need.

Luke Jackson struggled mightily this season, and it’s my sincere hope that he doesn’t check social media that often. But in his last three outings, he showed off the sharpest slider he’s had with the Giants, so the Braves are willing to take a chance on an old friend.

As for the downside for the Braves, it sure looks like they’re also employing Marcell Ozuna. Either he’s going to be in the outfield or Soler is, and it isn’t likely to be pretty. Their need for offense was just that acute, though.

The Giants will shed payroll, and they now have a fighting chance of getting under the luxury tax threshold, especially if they trade Michael Conforto (a Blake Snell trade wouldn’t help them much, as Andrew Baggarly explains here).

The trade is also about opening up two roster spots. The Giants have been yo-yoing Spencer Bivens back and forth from Sacramento, even though he’s pitched well in both spots, and they were also unsure of how to get Marco Luciano at-bats now that he’s heated up in the minors. Now they have a spot.

As for the prospect, Sabin Ceballos, he was a 3rd-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, who ranked 13th on Keith Law’s preseason list, which seems much better than a player to be named later. The money shuffling is the priority for the Giants, though. This will give them the financial flexibility to finish second for Juan Soto this coming offseason.

Giants: B+
Braves: B

Sam Blum: Wait, don’t the Braves already have a DH?

Jorge Soler has played zero innings in the field this year. And incumbent DH Marcell Ozuna has played just 14 total innings. That will be an interesting situation to maneuver.

Dumping Soler’s contract is a smart move by the Giants. Signing it in the first place? Well, that’s a different story. But as already noted, he doesn’t play the field. And his offensive regression in 2024 might not be due for an uptick when he’s 33 and 34.

The Braves are hoping to catch lightning in a bottle once again. Soler was a deadline acquisition nearly three years ago to the day. Much like this season, he was underperforming then in Kansas City. And Atlanta clearly believes he can do what he did in 2021 — be reinvigorated by a change of scenery and become a critical part of a postseason run.

The same could be said for Luke Jackson. He was elite in 2021, but has been very bad this season in San Francisco. Perhaps coming home could be good for him.

Still, this feels like a vibes move for the Braves. Their season to this point is similar to 2021. Ronald Acuna Jr. is out for the year. The team is underperforming. Vibes can sometimes be great in baseball. They were three years ago in Atlanta. This is a manufactured vibe, though, and it’s hard to expect the same outcome twice. They didn’t give up much in terms of players, but adding on at least $28 million beyond this season is a hefty sum.

San Francisco gets back an injured Tyler Matzek, and infield prospect Sabin Ceballos, Atlanta’s third-round selection from last season. He’s put up solid numbers in High A.

It’s hard to say exactly what this means for the Giants, who remain faintly in the postseason picture and have won four straight. There’s also the consideration of Giants executive Farhan Zaidi’s future, and waving the white flag in 2024 might not be in his best interest.

Regardless, this was a good move for the Giants. It frees them up financially and nets them a decent prospect.

Atlanta was in desperate need of offense. But they added a one-dimensional player who isn’t getting any younger. They’re trying to play the hits. Maybe it will work. But on paper, this trade is a head-scratcher for them.

Giants: B
Braves: D

(Photo: Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images)