Anthopoulogy: Should the Braves Trade for Jorge Soler?
The Atlanta Braves need a new DH and outfield bat against lefties. Calling an old friend about an old friend may do the trick.
(Anthopoulogy is Braves Today’s running series where we step into the shoes of President of Baseball Operations Alex Anthopoulos and focus on roster construction questions — evaluating trade targets, internal options, lineup usage, and the cost-benefit math behind potential moves. These are shorter, focused breakdowns built around one question at a time. In some of the early responses to our Braves Today Audience Survey, several of you said that occasional short-form posts would be a nice addition to our usual deep dives, so here’s the first one.
I wrote this morning about mostly internal options or massive trades to upgrade an outfield group that has a Jurickson Profar-sized hole blown in it, concentrating on options that could start in left field against left-handed pitching.
And there’s an obvious acquisition that I overlooked, one that makes a lot of sense based on how we know Alex Anthopoulos likes to work: Jorge Soler.
Let’s talk about it.
Should the Braves add Soler?
The idea behind this is clear: Soler is an on-base-focused power bat, one that the Braves are familiar and comfortable with in the clubhouse. While he’s overall a quality performer (when healthy), putting up a 115 wRC+ in the last three seasons, he excels against left-handed pitching in that same timespan with a 153 wRC+. He’s launched 22 homers vs southpaws in 341 plate appearances the last three seasons, a full-season pace of nearly 45 homers.
While his best spot would be designated hitter, and that’s likely where he would be most of the time, he can at least stand in the corner outfield against southpaws so that the other catcher or a non-outfielder can serve as the designated hitter on occasion.
Why would LA trade him?
Two reasons: His contract and their unique outfield logjam.
Soler’s in the final year of team control, making $13M for 2026. Given that the Angels don’t project to be a threat for the division this year, shedding that money might be appealing to the notoriously frugal Arte Moreno.
But also, given the presence of Mike Trout, the oft-injured superstar that requires frequent DH days to stay on the field, Soler’s been miscast as a corner outfielder for the Angels too much in recent seasons. He spent 40 games in right field for LA last year, including nearly every day in July before going down with a back injury.
Trading Soler would allow LA to deploy a better defensive option in the corner outfield, as well as prioritize Trout’s health over rotating the DH spot through multiple options who all need some time there.
Is he better than your internal options?
Absolutely.
Right now, Atlanta’s primary designated hitter versus RHP, per Roster Resource, is veteran first baseman Dominic Smith. Against lefties, I proposed giving Kyle Farmer (career 117 wRC+ vs LHP) or Jonah Heim (137 wRC+ vs LHP in his All-Star 2023 season) some run, but neither option is particularly exciting.
As long as he’s healthy, which has always been the limiting factor for Soler, he’s a better option in both situations.
Is there any other external option?
Not that can do both, no. Andrew McCutcheon is an option to give you veteran at-bats and veteran mentorship, but he’s also approaching 40 and has barely either touched the outfield grass or been an above-average hitter in the last few seasons.
I’m not opposed to bringing in Cutch on a small deal, but he needs to be willing to sign that, as well.
What’s the verdict here?
Call up frequent trade partner Perry Minasian (11 deals since 2021) and let’s get this done. The Braves can redirect most of Profar’s forfeited $15M salary into Soler’s $13M 2026 commitment, while sending back a starting pitching prospect that’s theoretically close to the majors but too far down Atlanta’s list of rotation options to get meaningful run for the Braves. Atlanta can even throw in another lower-level organizational guy with potential development left, too. The final deal would look like this:
Braves get: OF/DH Jorge Soler
Angels get: RHP Ian Mejia or Brett Sears, along with RHP Adam Maier
Who says no?
That’s what is on The GM’s Desk for today. When the next decision point surfaces, we’ll step back in and break it down.
I seriously doubt the Braves have any interest in giving up a reasonably high-probability fifth starter like Braun for Soler at $13M, given he’s a horrendous defender who had a sub-.300 xwOBA last year
Interesting idea. But whether Braves trade for Soler or anyone else comes down to how soon Murphy and HSK will be back as productive players. If team is confident they’ll be back by mid-May, I would sit tight.