Braves trade for outfielder from Rangers

Braves trade for outfielder from Rangers

All the talk in Atlanta has been about the Falcons and their search for a new head coach, which culminated in the hiring of Raheem Morris last night. The entire process was a circus, a showcase of how dysfunctional the Falcons are. It’s at these moments where we can really appreciate the Atlanta Braves.

The Braves haven’t made a move in quite some time, but they did on Friday, acquiring outfielder J.P. Martinez from the Rangers for Tyler Owens.

Martinez will serve as organizational depth with the potential to earn one of the final spots on the bench. He is not a platoon option with Jarred Kelenic, given Martinez is also a left-handed bat.

The Cuban outfielder made his major league debut last season at 27 years old, appearing in 17 games and recording a .575 OPS. Not exactly eye-popping numbers, but Martinez did rake in AAA, hitting .298 with 14 homers and a .961 OPS over 77 games.

Given the way the Braves have been able to squeeze the most out of guys when they make their way to Atlanta, he’s a player worth taking a flier on. These are the kind of acquisitions that fly under the radar this time of year but end up paying major dividends at some point during the season.

The return for the Rangers is 23-year-old right-handed pitcher Tyler Owens. Originally drafted in the 13th round by the Braves in the 2019 MLB Draft, Owens had some decent numbers in 2023, posting a 3.03 ERA between A+ and AA. However, the Braves have plenty of pitching depth, and the odds he was ever going to make an impact in Atlanta were slim.

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