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Atlanta Braves in process of trading Jaime Garcia to the Minnesota Twins

By Alan Carpenter

SAN DIEGO, CA - JUNE 29: Jaime Garcia #54 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres at PETCO Park on June 29, 2017 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CA - JUNE 29: Jaime Garcia #54 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres at PETCO Park on June 29, 2017 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images) /
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It has started.  The trade season now involves the Braves, and the expected first trade chip is indeed the first to be cashed in.

According to multiple reports and the explosive sounds you are hearing from Atlanta Braves‘ twitter followers, the Braves have traded starting pitcher Jaime Garcia to the Minnesota Twins for… well, we don’t actually know quite yet.

The progression of news on this deal has been almost epic in the manner the news has been leaked out.

Aaron Blair was scheduled to start tonight for the Gwinnett Braves, but about an hour before game time, there was a change:

Okay… could be something… could be an illness, a cramp… anything.  Until…

Okay, now it’s on.  Nice job, Jason.  Blair didn’t know it then, but it’s almost certain he’s now packing for a plane ride to Los Angeles to start tomorrow night against the Dodgers.

Then somebody hit the gas pedal:

I’ll skip most of the intermediaries, but it pretty much went like this from there:

There’s also a report that the Twins may make certain of the medicals – as is their usual practice – before finalizing the deal and notifying all parties.  Still, it appears things are quite far enough along for the Braves to get Blair out to LA.

Return Speculation

There are two ways that the Braves can “buy” their way to a better prospect.  One is by funding some or all of the rest of Garcia’s contract.

The other is by including somebody else or interest to the Twins.  It’s quite possible that Coppy is trying both routes.

UPDATE:  Maybe not.  Cue info via MLB Trade Rumors:

"8:24pm: Minnesota is “very likely” to take over all of Garcia’s remaining salary (about $4.7MM), per 1500 ESPN’s Darren Wolfson (via Twitter)."

In our look at the trade market this morning, I had suggested Stephen Gonsalves, a lefty pitcher with the Chattanooga Lookouts of the AA Southern League.

MLB Pipeline rates him a #77 overall prospect; BaseballAmerica left him off their midseason Top 100 re-rankings.  In February, he was 99th on their list.

‘Buying higher’ or not, I expect that everyone would be shocked if the return is any higher for the Braves.  [But given the new contract info above, it appears this isn’t happening.]

Ben Chase – who ironically is now covering the Twinkies had an idea, too:

This admittedly would surprise me, given the indication that at least 6 teams were “in” on Garcia over the past 24 hours.  Thorpe is a young (21) Tommy John survivor with upside, but still quite a ways away from the majors (High-A Florida State League).

Wait Mode

So for what it’s worth…

Coppy has often discussed the idea of getting ‘major league pieces’ or near MLB-ready players at this point in the Braves rebuild, so while we can’t entirely rule that out, it is not at all clear who the Twins could spare from their active roster, given that they are in a tight divisional race.

Next: Then There's that 'Other' Twin...

So all indications are that a minor leaguer is involved and nothing else.  We will have more when we know more.

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