The Braves didn’t make a lot of offseason moves, but Alex Anthopoulos seems to have pulled all of the right strings. He replaced Dansby Swanson with Orlando Arcia, who started for the NL in the All-Star Game, for a fraction of the price. But his biggest move was the acquisition of Sean Murphy. The Braves gave up a lot to get the former Oakland Athletic, and it’s proven to be more than worth it. There’s nothing to complain about. The Braves are 60-29, the best record in baseball by a wide margin. With that being said, it’s always fun to look at how former Braves are performing in their new threads.
Kenley Jansen
I actually wrote yesterday about a potential reunion between the Braves and Jansen. The Reds Sox might sell at the trade deadline, and Atlanta could use another high-end bullpen arm like Jansen, who is performing very well for Boston. He owns a 3.23 ERA and 3.05 FIP. On top of that, he’s seen a substantial increase in his velocity on all of his offerings. Jansen says he loves it in Boston, but if he happened to be traded, I imagine Atlanta would be one of his preferred destinations.
Adam Duvall
Another Boston Red Sox, Adam Duvall was on a tear to begin the season before breaking his wrist, which caused him to miss a full two months. He returned in the middle of June but hasn’t been the same player since, hitting just .175 with a .565 OPS over the last month.
Kyle Muller
Muller was one of the centerpieces in the deal that landed the Braves Sean Murphy, but he’s been abysmal for Oakland. In 11 starts, he owns a gaudy 7.79 ERA. I’m not sure he’s cut out to become a major-league starting pitcher, so it’s a good thing the Braves chose to sell high, but perhaps he can carve out a role as a reliever.
William Contreras
It still blows my mind that the best player the Braves gave up in the Sean Murphy trade didn’t even go to Oakland. Contreras landed in Milwaukee, where he’s continued to be a very productive piece, hitting .262 with nine homers. However, the most surprising aspect of his game this year has been his defense, as he’s improved tremendously in that area. The Brewers got a good one and didn’t have to give up much, but the Braves don’t have any buyer’s remorse.
Robbie Grossman
Grossman has appeared in 68 games for a terrific Texas Rangers club, but he hasn’t been very productive, hitting to the tune of .223 average and .660 OPS — good for -0.6 bWAR.
Tucker Davidson
Davidson is another one of the Braves former pitching prospects that just hasn’t been able to figure it out. He’s pitched out of the bullpen for the Angels and recorded an unsightly 6.82 ERA over 17 appearances. At 27-years-old, he’s running out of opportunities at the major-league level.
Will Smith
Smith has actually carved out a nice role with the Rangers. He owns a 3.06 ERA, 0.866 WHIP, and 2.66 FIP. Smith has also saved 15 games in 17 opportunities and might be able to parlay this season into a multi-year contract.
Dansby Swanson
Swanson has picked up right where he left off last season with the Braves. He’s hitting a hair under .260 with 10 homers while playing elite defense. Deservedly, he was elected to the All-Star Game for the second year in a row. Swanson is a fantastic player and leader, but the Braves were right to let him go at the price point he signed with the Cubs.
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Photo: Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire
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