Braves bring former first-round pick back to Atlanta in trade

The Atlanta Braves made a move to acquire left-handed pitcher Kolby Allard in exchange for Jake Odorizzi.

The World Series ended this past Saturday, and Hot Stove season is getting into full effect. The general manager meetings are taking place in Las Vegas, where teams are meeting with one another, in addition to free agents.

On Wednesday evening, the Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers struck a deal. The Braves are bringing back former 2015 first-round pick Kolby Allard in exchange for Jake Odorizzi and cash.

Braves acquire Kolby Allard from Rangers in exchange for Jake Odorizzi

The Braves selected Allard with the 14th overall pick, and spent time in the team’s farm system before making his major league debut in 2018. In three games that season, Allard recorded a 12.38 ERA, a 2.88 WHIP, a 1-1 win-loss record, three strikeouts and four walks in 8.0 innings pitched.

Following that season, Atlanta traded him to Texas in exchange for relief pitcher Chris Martin.

In his four years with the Rangers, Allard posted a 5.85 ERA, a 1.371 WHIP, a 34-9 record, 188 strikeouts and 76 walks in 224.2 innings pitched (62 games).

As for Odorizzi, he had just joined Atlanta at this past trade deadline, moved from the Houston Astros in exchange for relief pitcher Will Smith. In his 10 regular-season games with the team, Odorizzi recorded 40 strikeouts and 18 walks, in addition to a 5.24 ERA and a 1.554 WHIP in 46.1 innings.

Odorizzi pitched in NLDS Game 3, allowing two earned runs on one hit in 3.0 innings in the 9-1 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Braves bring back a former draft selection to Atlanta, while the Rangers add a veteran piece to their starting rotation in Odorizzi.