Braves Acquire Ryan Doumit
The Braves are acquiring C/OF Ryan Doumit from the Minnesota Twins, according to several reports. The story was first broke by Jeff Passan, of Yahoo! Sports.
Source: Atlanta finalizing deal to acquire catcher/outfielder Ryan Doumit from Minnesota.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 18, 2013
UPDATE: The Braves have made it official.
The Braves have acquired catcher Ryan Doumit from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for minor-league LHP Sean Gilmartin.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) December 18, 2013
The trade will send LHP Sean Gilmartin to Minnesota in a 1 for 1 deal.
Doumit, 32, is a seasoned veteran, having spent the last two seasons in Minnesota after serving 7 years with the Pirates. Doumit turned in a .247/.314/.396 season in 2013, a bit down from his .268/.329/.438 career slash line. Doumit is entering the second year of his two-year, $7MM extension he signed in the summer of 2012, and will make $3.5MM in the coming season.
Gilmartin was selected by Atlanta in the first round of the 2011 draft. He entered the 2012 season as the Braves 5th best overall prospect. After a solid but unspectacular 2012 season, Gilmartin took a turn for the worse in 2013, pitching to a 5.06 ERA across 3 minor league levels. Gilmartin was likely the most expendable of the Braves’ pitching prospects, and likely held the least value on the trade market.
My thoughts on the trade:
I didn’t quite understand it at first glance, until I realized Eric Chavez has agreed to re sign in Arizona. Doumit brings a left handed bat with pop to the bench, something Frank Wren has expressed interest in several times over the offseason. While I would have preferred someone with a bit more defensive versatility, he also serves an option to platoon at catcher if Evan Gattis is unable to improve his plate discipline.