The returns are very early, but it looks like the Atlanta Braves made a bad trade for a change. It was bound to happen eventually.
The Braves needed bullpen help this offseason, so they struck a deal with the Detroit Tigers for right-handed relief pitcher Joe Jimenez. On the surface, this seemed like a smart decision — Jimenez had a 3.49 ERA last season in 62 appearances for the lowly Tigers. In Atlanta, he would receive a chance to pitch in games that matter.
Unfortunately, Jimenez is off to a tough start. With the Braves so far in 2023, Jimenez’s baseball savant page leaves much to be desired.
Joe Jimenez’ Baseball Savant page isn’t pretty. Velocity down too on all pitches. Hopefully it’s just a matter of his back getting more healthy and stretching out pic.twitter.com/BlTAYEL9pU
— SportsTalkATL.com (@SportsTalkATL) April 18, 2023
Sure, it’s early, but Jimenez is also a player Atlanta would prefer to count on in the back-end of their bullpen. Early struggles aren’t a major concern, but something to keep an eye on.
Will Braves come to regret Joe Jimenez trade?
Now, Atlanta’s system ranks near the bottom of the league, but Henry-Malloy was one of their best remaining prospects at the time. Motor City Bengals ranked Henry-Malloy fifth in their Tigers prospect rankings heading into the season:
"“For the Tigers, there’s got to be a leap of faith in what Malloy can bring to the table in the big leagues. The 22-year-old prospect is a product of Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech’s Division I programs and is a former sixth-round pick from the 2021 MLB Draft.Malloy is an athletic build who’s slated to be a third baseman but could easily play left field and slot into a corner outfield. The point is, he’s got the athleticism and the versatility to back it up. The 6-foot-3, 212-pound frame could benefit the Tigers moving forward.”"
It’s a stretch to suggest Anthopoulos got this trade wrong at this point, but it ought to be on fans radar. Even AA isn’t perfect.