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Atlanta Braves trade Arodys Vizcaíno and Jesse Biddle for Anthony Swarzak

By Jake Mastroianni

SEATTLE, WA - APRIL 02: Pitcher Anthony Swarzak #30 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates closing out the game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at T-Mobile Park on April 2, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 2-1. (Photo by Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - APRIL 02: Pitcher Anthony Swarzak #30 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates closing out the game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at T-Mobile Park on April 2, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 2-1. (Photo by Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images) /
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The Atlanta Braves announced a trade on Monday sending relief pitchers Arodys Vizcaíno and Jesse Biddle to the Seattle Mariners for Anthony Swarzak.

Jesse Biddle was recently designated for assignment by the Atlanta Braves and they were apparently able to work out a trade in that 10-day window.

In the deal, the Atlanta Braves also get some cash from the Seattle Mariners.

This trade is a little surprising on the surface when you consider just how good Biddle was for the Atlanta Braves in 2018, and how many opportunities they continued to give him this year before finally DFAing him.

Plus, Anthony Swarzak hasn’t been an effective reliever in a couple of years, and he’s really struggled with walks lately, which is something the Braves bullpen certainly does not need.

As for Arodys Vizcaíno, he’s out for the rest of 2019 and will be a free agent after the season. Him being involved is simply a salary dump to help compensate the Braves — along with the cash they’re sending in the deal — for the $8.5 million that Swarzak is owed in 2019.

Swarzak will also be a free agent after the season, while Biddle has several years of control left.

As fellow Tomahawk Take writer James Kunkle pointed out to me, this is simply a move where the Braves are hoping to get the 2017 version of Swarzak, while the Mariners are hoping to get the 2018 version Biddle.

In that 2017 season, which was the best of his career, the 33-year-old right-handed Swarzak posted a 2.33 ERA in 77.2 innings pitched with 91 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.03. He split that season between the Chicago White Sox and Milwaukee Brewers.

Last year he pitched in just 29 games for the Mets and wasn’t nearly as good with a 6.15 ERA in 26.1 innings. And so far this season he has a 5.27 ERA in 13.2 innings.

But one thing has remained a constant throughout the past three seasons, and that’s a high strikeout total.

He has a career K/9 of just 6.7, but the past three seasons that number has been 10.6, 10.6, and 11.2.

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What has really plagued Swarzak the past two seasons is walks.

Swarzak has a career BB/9 of just 2.7, which is great, but that number has been 4.8 and 5.3 the past two seasons.

The Atlanta Braves are hoping that he can do what a lot of other arms in their bullpen have not been able to do, and that’s find a way to throw strikes.

If he can do that, then he has the stuff to be a shutdown reliever in the middle innings.

He also has some experiencing closing games with 9 saves over the past three seasons.

Next. Week 7 down on the farm. dark

Just like the trade for Jerry Blevins, this is not one that is going to move the needle. But it’s a low risk, minimal reward type trade that could help the Atlanta Braves improve their bullpen.

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