The Braves aren’t done making moves this offseason. That’s not a report but rather a feeling. However, we do have a substantial piece of new information from Jon Heyman of the New York Post, who reports that Atlanta is among the bidders for free agent Seth Lugo.
The club made a run at Aaron Nola before he returned to the Phillies. They also signed Reynaldo Lopez, who they expect to stretch out to be a piece of the rotation. Though that doesn’t seem likely, it’s an option. To me, the Braves are clearly looking for another starting pitcher.
Lugo, who wouldn’t garner a significant financial commitment, could be that piece. I’ve seen projections anywhere from $24 to $26 million over two years, which is more than palatable for the Braves. He wouldn’t be the sexiest signing but would bring a certain level of stability to Atlanta’s rotation. Braves Country is probably familiar with Lugo, who spent a lengthy stint with the Mets, where he was primarily a high-leverage reliever.
However, the Padres gave Lugo an opportunity to be a starter again, and he made the most of it, posting a 3.57 ERA and 8.6 K/9 over 26 starts. That kind of versatility is attractive.
Signings like Reynaldo Lopez and Seth Lugo wouldn’t necessarily pay dividends in the regular season, but they certainly would in October. The ability to start or come in relief would give Brian Snitker a ton of different options to deploy.
Think back to Game 3 of the NLDS where Bryce Elder cruised through the first two innings without any hiccups. He then ran into trouble in the third inning. The first sign of trouble came when Nick Castellanos put one over the left field fence.
At that moment, Snitker should’ve pulled Elder, which would’ve been the perfect time to use a guy like Lopez or Lugo to give the Braves some length. Both of them are versatile arms that could be deployed in numerous ways in the postseason.
—
You must log in to post a comment.