MLB trade grades: Braves sell off expensive asset to Pirates in AA masterclass
By Mark Powell
The Atlanta Braves took on a bet they can't cash in the form of starting pitcher Marco Gonzales, so they shipped the former Mariners pitcher to a team in desperate need of rotation help. Gonzales was a solid starter for the Mariners from 2018-22, when he had a 3.94 ERA and ate plenty of innings along the way.
However, Gonzales signed a four-year, $30 million extension in 2020 and is due $12 million in 2024, plus a $15 million club option in 2025 which does not come with a buyout, which is significant. Finding a team to take on that sort of salary is not easy, but Atlanta was likely willing to send some cash considerations along with Gonzales in any trade involving the 32-year-old.
The Braves intend on adding some starting pitching this offseason. The MLB Winter Meetings had slowed to a crawl prior to Tuesday night, when the Yankees acquired Alex Verdugo less than an hour prior to this Alex Anthopoulos deal.
Gonzales was sent to the Pittsburgh Pirates, per Jeff Passan. Atlanta will receive a PTBNL in return.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are acquiring left-handed starter Marco Gonzales in a trade from the Atlanta Braves, sources tell ESPN. The Braves will send cash to the Pirates and receive a player to be named later.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 6, 2023
MLB trade grades: Pirates acquire pitching from Braves, but at what cost?
The MLB offseason is funny. Just when the Braves acquired Gonzales in the first place as part of the Jarred Kelenic trade, I couldn't help but think that he would've been a good fit on this Pirates team. Pittsburgh is finally hoping to turn the corner, but lacks much starting pitching depth behind Mitch Keller.
Ben Cherington took a flyer on Gonzales just hours after signing relief pitcher Ben Heller. More rotation moves are sure to come, but Gonzales makes sense from the Pirates point of view. He can eat innings, and should Gonzales succeed, he'll be trade bait at the deadline if Pittsburgh is out of contention. This is something they've made a habit of in recent years -- just look no further than Jose Quintana and Rich Hill.
Pittsburgh Pirates grade: B-
Atlanta Braves grade: B
I give Anthopoulos some credit here, as I often do, for getting Gonzales off the Braves books. In doing so, he's ensured a larger move down the road. Atlanta needs starting pitching to make another World Series run in the NL, and Gonzales wasn't going to cut it.