MLB Trade Rumors: Braves close to trading Jason Grilli to Blue Jays?

The Atlanta Braves are in the process of trading right-handed relief pitcher Jason Grilli to the Toronto Blue Jays for another prospect in their rebuild.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports, the Atlanta Braves are about to trade their former closer Jason Grilli to the Toronto Blue Jays for presumably another prospect.

Grilli was the Braves closer after the rebuilding National League East club sent their lights-out reliever Craig Kimbrel to the San Diego Padres on Easter Sunday 2015, the day before Opening Day 2015.

Grilli did a fine job closing games out for the Braves in 2015, nearly making the 2015 National League All-Star Team, before rupturing his Achilles’ Tendon trying to cover the first base bag in early July at Denver versus the Colorado Rockies.

He recovered from his painful injury, but later lost his role as closer to right-hander Arodys Vizcaino. With Grilli in the twilight of his MLB career and now expendable for the rebuilding Braves, it is only a matter of time before Braves general manager John Coppolella puts together a deal to get a prospect in return for Atlanta’s former closer.

Atlanta has improved since firing former manager Fredi Gonzalez on May 17th. Under interim manager Brian Snitker, Atlanta has gone 6-7 after starting the 2016 MLB season out 9-28 under Gonzalez.

What Toronto would be getting in Grilli is a reliable right-hander that loves to pitch in high-intensity moments late in ball games. Grilli is still very capable of a prominent role in the back-end of one club’s bullpen. With the Blue Jays hovering around .500, maybe Grilli is a key piece for John Gibbons’ Blue Jays club that is looking to get back to the American League postseason again in 2016?

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