The Atlanta Braves have brought back their 2021 World Series MVP. The Braves have acquired slugger Jorge Soler and right reliever Luke Jackson from the San Francisco Giants, the team announced. The Giants received lefty Tyler Matzek and minor-league infielder Sabin Ceballos in the trade. Jackson, like Soler, was part of Atlanta's championship team in 2021.
Soler, 32, is in the first year of a three-year, $42 million free agent contract. This is not a rental pickup for the Braves, who lost reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. for the season to a torn ACL in May. Center fielder Michael Harris II is out long-term with a hamstring injury as well. They've had a patchwork outfield around Jarred Kelenic the last few weeks.
Of course, Soler is not much of a defender, and Marcell Ozuna is locked into the DH spot. The Braves will play Soler in the outfield -- he has not played a single inning in the field in 2024 -- and live with the defense to get the bat. Ozuna's contract is up after this season, though Atlanta has a $16 million club option for 2025. Hard to think they'll decline that given how good he's been.
Soler has had a down year at the plate, relatively speaking: .240/.330/.419 with 12 home runs in 93 games, though getting out of Oracle Park should boost his power numbers. Soler put up a .853 OPS with 36 home runs with the Miami Marlins last season. In 2021, he posted a .882 OPS in 55 games with the Braves after coming over in a deadline deal with the Kansas City Royals.
With Acuña and Harris out, Atlanta has been trying to get by with Adam Duvall, Ramón Laureano, and Eddie Rosario in the outfield alongside Kelenic. That hasn't worked out too well. Soler's bat will be a significant upgrade, and it stands to reason they will remove him for defense in the late innings of close games. He's an imperfect fit for the roster, but he is a familiar face.
Jackson, 32, is a rental, though his $7 million club option for 2025 may have some appeal. He has a 5.40 ERA in 35 innings this year with underlying numbers that are a bit better than the surface stats (4.49 ERA and 4.63 FIP). Jackson will step into a middle relief role with Atlanta. They won't need him to get high-leverage outs in the late innings.
For the Giants, the trade is a pure salary dump. They're getting out of the final two years of Soler's contract -- USA Today reports the Braves are assuming Soler's entire $13 million salary in both 2025 and 2026 -- which will help with their competitive balance tax situation. The Giants could move Blake Snell before Tuesday's trade deadline as well.
Matzek, 33, was outstanding during the 2021 postseason, though he had Tommy John surgery midway through 2022 and has struggled badly this season (11 runs in 10 innings). He is currently on the injured list with elbow inflammation. Matzek is owed the remainder of his $1.9 million salary this season. He's in the trade to offset some salary.
The 21-year-old Ceballos is hitting .250/.353/.354 with three home runs in 84 games in High Class-A this season. Baseball America ranked him as the No. 26 prospect in Atlanta's system in their midseason update, saying he has impressive bat speed but an uphill swing that creates contact concerns.
Following Monday's loss (MIL 8, ATL 3), the Braves are 56-49 and 1.5 games up on a wild-card spot. The Giants are 53-55 and four games out of a postseason spot.