Jorge Soler will be greeted as a hero when he returns to Atlanta this week to play in front of a fan following that will remember him as a legend for the rest of his life.
Soler and Luke Jackson were acquired from the Giants late Monday night in exchange for left-handed reliever Tyler Matzek and Minor League infielder Sabin Ceballos. Both players contributed significantly to the Braves’ World Series victory in 2021.
TRADE DETAILS
Braves receive: DH/OF Jorge Soler, RHP Luke Jackson
Giants receive: LHP Tyler Matzek, 3B Sabin Ceballos (Braves’ No. 17 prospect)
Soler is the cornerstone of this trade for the Braves, who urgently needed to expand their lineup. The 32-year-old veteran hasn’t played outfield this season, but he’ll man one of Atlanta’s corner outfield positions and presumably fill the club’s need for a leadoff hitter. He was at the top of Atlanta’s lineup throughout the 2021 postseason.
Soler has a.240 batting average, 12 home runs, and an OPS of.749. He was hitting.190 with 13 home runs and a.655 OPS when the Braves acquired him from the Royals just before the 2021 Trade Deadline. He hadn’t played much outfield that season either.
However, he fared admirably defensively in the final two months of the season and capped his brief tenure in Atlanta with the 2021 World Series MVP award. His gigantic blast from Houston’s Minute Maid Park in Game 6 remains one of Atlanta sports history’s most memorable moments.
Atlanta’s current outfielders include Soler, Jarred Kelenic, Adam Duvall, Ramón Laureano, and Eddie Rosario. Michael Harris II, who is expected to return from injury in the coming weeks, could join this group.
This deal did not contain any cash. So the Braves will pay Soler almost $28 million until the end of the 2026 season. That includes approximately $2 million this year and $13 million in both 2025 and 2026.
Matzek and Jackson were two of four crucial players of The Night Shift, the Braves’ bullpen during the 2021 postseason. Matzek has failed to recover from the Tommy John surgery he received at the end of the 2022 season. Jackson has a 5.40 ERA in 36 outings with the Giants this season.
Ceballos was born in Puerto Rico, went to the University of Oregon, and was Atlanta’s third-round pick in 2023. This season, he has a.259/.353/.354 batting line for Class A Rome, with three home runs in 377 plate appearances.
