The Braves‘ offseason has had two themes — cutting payroll or bolstering the depth of the organization.
Declining Travis d’Arnaud’s option, trading Jorge Soler and reworking the contracts of Aaron Bummer and Reynaldo Lopez saved the club considerable money, but Alex Anthopoulos hasn’t spent a dime.
He’s essentially just handed out minor league deals with assumed invites to Spring Training, and it continued with the signing of reliever Enyel De Los Santos, according to MLB Trade Rumors.
De Los Santos began his career with the Phillies and Pirates, struggling in parts of three seasons with those clubs. However, he broke out in 2022 with the Guardians, posting a 3.04 ERA and 2.98 SIERA. Returning in a more high-leverage role in 2023, De Los Santos’ numbers took a dip, finishing with a 3.29 ERA and 4.06 SIERA.
Last offseason, he was traded to the Padres for Scott Barlow, a rare lose-lose for both clubs. The Guardians released Barlow and De Los Santos spent time with three different teams, struggling with each of them.
Across time with the Padres, Yankees, and White Sox, he pitched 64 innings of work with a 5.20 ERA, though his 3.86 SIERA is more encouraging. He’s still just 29 years old and has rarely dealt with injuries.
Across the 2022 and 2023 seasons, he pitched 119 innings with a 3.18 ERA and 3.57 SIERA. If the Braves are getting that guy, it’ll be another diamond in the rough find for Alex Anthopoulos. On the other hand, his 2024 campaign could be an indicator that that version of De Los Santos is gone.
It’s just a minor league deal, so there’s little risk involved for the Braves.
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Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire
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