Braves trade Jason Heyward to Cardinals for Shelby Miller in 4-player deal
The MLB offseason escalated quickly.
The Atlanta Braves announced a blockbuster trade Monday, revealing that they have dealt star outfielder Jason Heyward and reliever Jordan Walden to the St. Louis Cardinals for starter Shelby Miller and pitching prospect Tyrell Jenkins.
While it had been rumored that Heyward could be on the move to help the Braves fill holes elsewhere on the roster, the magnitude and expeditious nature of the trade are surprising.
Still just 25, Heyward is coming off a somewhat disappointing year at the dish, but one that saw him firmly establish himself as one of the game's premier right fielders. He hit .271 with a .351 on-base percentage, but his power all but disappeared with just 11 home runs and 26 doubles. Still, he was worth 5.1 wins above replacement, adding appreciable value on the basepaths and in the field.
Heyward, who has spent his entire five-year career with the Braves, issued a thank you tweet Monday night to fans, coaches and teammates for their support.
Miller is a steep price for the Cardinals to pay but one that makes sense given their embarrassment of pitching riches. Only 24 himself, Miller is coming off of an up-and-down sophomore campaign that saw him finish with a 3.74 ERA but apparently lose the ability to strike batters out. There's still upside with Miller, of course, but the Braves are betting that 2014 was more a down year than the revelation of what Miller actually is as an arm.
In Jenkins, the Braves get a bit of a flier prospect. He's already 22 and split 2014 between rookie ball and High-A, failing to strike out many batters or really impress as a starter.
Walden gives the Cardinals another steady right-handed arm in their bullpen, one that's posted a 3.10 ERA over parts of five seasons in the majors.
Heyward and Miller are the keys here, though, and this has the potential to be a franchise-shaping deal on each side.
Heyward, in particular, still maintains superstar potential and is under contract for an affordable $7.8 million next season. Over his five years with the Braves, he's hit 84 home runs with 63 stolen bases, posting a .262/.351/.429 line. If he plays like he showed capable of in 2012, when he belted 27 home runs, this could be a major win for the Cardinals.
The Braves now find themselves with a bit of a thin outfield, and they appear to be banking on converted catcher Evan Gattis's ability to handle an everyday job in left.