Ranking all 3 Braves offseason trades so far from worst to best
By Kevin Henry
More effective: Braves trade Kyle Wright to Royals for Jackson Kowar
Much like Anderson, Wright being sent to the Royals had to do with questions about his future following an injury. While Wright pitched for the Braves through late September, his season ended suddenly when it was revealed he needed shoulder surgery. That decision will have him miss the 2024 campaign, so Kansas City is willing to bet on his recovery as he won't become a free agent until after the 2026 season.
Wright pitched in just nine games last season (starting seven) as he battled shoulder issues all season. Kansas City hopes surgery and recovery will alleviate those issues and the 28-year-old right-hander will become a fixture in their rotation in 2025 and beyond.
On the Atlanta side, Kowar has plenty of potential, something the Braves hope comes to fruition during their six years of team control with the 27-year-old right-hander. Last season, Kowar posted a 6.43 ERA/5.29 FIP/1.929 WHIP, numbers that aren't exactly a vote of confidence that he can come right in and make an impact in 2024. However, the Braves seem willing to take a chance on the former first-round pick in 2018 finding his stride.
Sure, it's a roll of the dice, but Atlanta seems to find the magic elixir sometimes when it comes to increasing a pitcher's effectiveness once he dons the A. If Kowar can indeed make an impact in 2024 (something Wright was going to be unable to do), it will be a very positive start to the swap.