The Atlanta Braves are making headlines again!
On Monday night, they struck a deal with the San Francisco Giants to bring back All-Star outfielder and two-time World Series champ Jorge Soler, along with reliable righty reliever Luke Jackson. Both were key players during the Braves’ 2021 World Series run.
In return, the Giants received left-handed reliever Tyler Matzek and minor league infielder Sabin Ceballos. The Braves are also taking on Soler’s full contract, which means they’ll be paying him $13 million in both 2025 and 2026. So, for the Giants, this trade largely serves as a salary dump.
For the Braves, this isn’t just a nostalgia trip; they’re on a mission to recreate their 2021 success. Back then, super outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. suffered a torn ACL, prompting Atlanta to load up on outfielders, including Soler, Eddie Rosario, Adam Duvall, and Joc Pederson. Duvall’s still with the team, and Rosario returned last season. Now Soler’s back too, leaving only Pederson—who’s currently with the Arizona Diamondbacks—out of the original 2021 crew. Luckily, the Braves also have lefty outfielder Jarred Kelenic ready to step in.
At 32, Soler recently signed a three-year, $42 million deal with the Giants. This season, he’s logged 93 games, batting .240/.330/.419 with 12 home runs and 40 RBIs. While those numbers are a bit underwhelming compared to his impressive 2023 season, where he hit 36 home runs, he’s still regarded as a power threat. His standout year was in 2019, when he smashed 48 homers and had an OPS of .922. In 2021, he excelled with an OPS of .882 during the regular season and was even better in the playoffs, clinching the World Series MVP title with a .948 OPS in 11 games.
The Braves are counting on another stellar performance from Soler during his second run in Atlanta, especially as they’ve faced struggles finding a consistent outfield replacement since Acuna’s injury in May. Soler is looking to step right into that role.
As for Jackson, he was with the Braves from 2017-2021, having his best season in 2021 with a 1.98 ERA over 63.2 innings, including 3.2 scoreless innings in the World Series.
Currently, the Braves are 56-49 and sit 8.5 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East, holding the first Wild Card spot just ahead of the San Diego Padres and New York Mets. The team is hopeful that their latest moves will spark a return to their 2021 glory.