Today’s post, “Braves and Royals Hypothetical Trades”, is part 6 in our series focusing on teams that could be sellers and the assets of which the Braves could utilize in a trade. Here are the first 5 pieces:
- Braves and Reds Hypothetical Trade
- Braves and Cubs Hypothetical Trades
- Braves and Rockies Hypothetical Trades
- Braves and Diamondbacks Hypothetical Trades
- Braves and Indians Hypothetical Trades
While the Royals have already made some additions to their 2021 team, they have some expiring contracts that they might want to get rid of and the Braves could be a potential match. The Royals farm system is in the top 10, is about ready to produce MLB fruit, but they’re still one year away. Let’s get shopping. As with all of these pieces, I’ll be using the MLB Trade Simulator to evaluate the trades.
Trade Value of Salvador Perez
If you want a guy that takes a walk, then step right up to someone other than Salvador Perez. A lifetime 3.4% BB rate is criminal, but the bat is pretty legit and while the framing is less than spectacular, the rest of the defense has been pretty good. However, he did have Tommy John surgery in March of 2019 and his caught stealing rate dropped drastically, but it’s hard to know if it was the arm, the lack of a full recovery, a small sample, or that the arm will never be the same. Perez is owed $14.2MM and the trade simulator values him at +9.8MM.
Trade Value of Jorge Soler
Soler had a monstrous 2019 and a very okay 2020. The okay part was due to a serious K-rate spike. If anything, we as Braves fans should have faith that Kevin Seitzer can help a broken hitter return to glory, especially if said problem is contact based. Soler, like Marcell Ozuna, isn’t someone that should be playing a whole lot in the field, so this trade makes more sense if the DH is decided to be a go for the NL. Soler is owed $8.05MM and is value at +$2.4MM.
*For clarification’s sake, I’ll say that this trade makes little sense considering the Braves non-tendered Adam Duvall, but I’ll admit Braves player valuations are likely different than mine.
Fake Trade Number 1
- Braves get Salvador Perez
- Royals get Tucker Davidson and Braden Shewmake
Breakdown: There are numerous ways a Perez trade could go, but Royals would rather get 2 higher end prospects over a bunch of middling prospects. Tucker and Shewmake fit that description. Personally, I don’t like this trade and hope that the Braves give the backup job to William Contreras.
Fake Trade Number 2
- Braves get Jorge Soler
- Royals get Tucker Davidson
Breakdown: As stated in the first fake trade, the Royals are ready to bust through in the minors and Tucker, or other’s valued similar, would be the types of targets they’d prefer.
Thanks for reading Braves and Royals Hypothetical Trades. Thoughts?
From last thread, Alex is likely right. These trades are considered “fair” in terms of value coming and going, but when you’re talking about an elite player, a bidding war would likely come into play and push the price. These types of deals start with bases (which Dansby and Muller could be the base for a Lindor trade) and expand from there where the Braves might add someone like Tucker Davidson and the Indians Roberto Perez. If Indians aren’t satisfied, someone like Newcomb or Alex Jackson would be added. Its guys that neither team would be devastated to lose, but still have appeal via trade.
@ 1,
but you have to start somewhere in valuing a trade. Have you (or anybody on Braves Journal) run the Darvish trade? I think calling Darvish “elite” is at most a little stretch. He is a potentially top 15 pitcher.
I don’t get why you make a trade for Soler or Perez. In each case, maybe if you can clear a little of the “almost out of options / out of options / 40 man roster” people, then yes. But to give actual talent that is useful, I don’t think so. I think Tucker Davidson DOES fit in that group. But right now we have 2 years of control on Dansby and Shewmake is the only plyer in our system with a chance to equal Dansby in 3 years. So, to me, you only move Shewmake for a near elite piece that is also necessary or in case of catastrophe to avoid disaster (like getting at least one more credible outfielder if nobody is signed or traded for and if Waters or Trevone can’t handle it).
Opinions on Darvish vary pretty widely. On stuff and 2020 season stats, he’s elite, and he’s the kind of guy that AA loves to bet on — blend of ceiling and high recent performance. Keith Law called him the best NL starter last year. But he’s certainly been somewhat up and down. So I love the Padres’ willingness to bet on him, though I understand Cliff’s reticence to go call him an “ace” rather than just a #1.
Agree that I’d rather trade for a true third baseman rather than a shortstop who would force us to move someone else off position. If we want to give Riley one more year to sink or swim, though, I could be persuaded, as long as we get a corner outfield bat and a starting pitcher.
I stated above that the Soler trade makes little sense, especially factoring in the Duvall decision. I also stated that I wouldn’t do the Lindor deal, but I feel the Indians would want Dansby back.
In short, I’d rather keep Dansby, grab Brantley and Ozuna (assuming DH) and run it. However, I do think that if there was ever a time, now’s the time to make our “Yelich” trade.
I don’t know if it’s too late to propose a Braves/Cubs trade, but….
How about Chip Carrey straight up for Boog Sciambi? Heck, throw in a couple of minor league announcers to sweeten the deal if that’s what it takes….
@4 and @5, 100% on board with both of those deals.
I like the Yelich trade idea in theory, but I don’t want to give up high-ceiling prospects. Maybe a 5 for 1. We’ll be re-loading the lower minors soon enough anyway, and there’s usually a logjam in the tier below the elite prospects.
@7
I think the Braves Minor league system is going to shock us all in 2021. Guys like Vaughn Grissom, Michael Harris, Mahki Backstrom, Braden Shewmake, Stephen Paolini, and Bryce Ball are worthy of our attention. That’s not even factoring in last year’s class. Watch us be Top-10 in 2022 again.
To me, part of the whole point of having prospects is trading them to get a superstar.
@ 9,
Actually, the main reason to have prospects is to develop enough talent that comes up through the system “cheap” to allow you to afford some of the non cheap talent (based on what you can’t or don’t develop) to put together a winning team (championship competitive team). Then, secondarily, if you are really drafting, and signing internationally, and developing well, you should also have more talent in some areas than you need. So, that provides the second reason to have prospects; to fil the hole(s).
And the third reason to have prospects is to trade some of that surplus for lower level refill.
New thread!
https://bravesjournal.mystagingwebsite.com/2021/01/07/braves-and-rangers-hypothetical-trades/