Subscribe
Follow Us
The Atlanta Braves lost closer Kenley Jansen on Wednesday as he signed with the Boston Red Sox. However, it didn't take them long to find reinforcements in the bullpen.
The Braves announced Wednesday night that the team acquired right-handed pitcher Joe Jimenez from the Detroit Tigers. In exchange, the Tigers acquired outfielder Justyn-Henry Malloy and left-handed pitcher Jake Higginbotham.
Jimenez, 27, was once a prized prospect in the Tigers farm system. He made his major league debut in 2017, and was an All-Star in 2018. However, he went through some rough patches that led many to question his future in Detroit.
In 2022, he bounced back in a major way. He recorded career highs in ERA (3.49), WHIP (1.094) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.92). Jimenez and the bullpen were a major bright spot for a bad Tigers team this past season.
The Braves give up Malloy, their 11th best prospect according to MLBPipeline. The 22-year-old played three levels of minor league baseball last season, eventually reaching Triple-A. He hit .280 during an eight game sample size in Triple-A, but had 17 homers and 81 RBIs combined last season.
Higginbotham, 26, spent last season in Double-A. He made 48 appearances out of the bullpen in 2o22, but didn't put up insane numbers. He went 2-5 with a 4.73 ERA and a 2.67 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Jimenez is under team control through the end of the 2023 season. After that, he is a free agent. Atlanta is betting that his career season is not a fluke and perhaps the beginning of a sustained run of success.
The 27-year-old now-former Tiger goes to a contending team with a chance to win a World Series for the first time in his career. Detroit acquires a very intriguing prospect in Malloy who could be ready for major league bats in 2023. Only time will tell how this moves works for both sides.
