Braves: In shocking twist, Alex Anthopoulos may have made a bad trade

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.

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.