While the Atlanta Braves enjoyed their starting pitcher, Sean Newcomb, flirting with a no-hitter on Sunday afternoon, they added to their bullpen just two days before the trade deadline. The Braves acquired reliever Brad Brach in a trade with the Baltimore Orioles. It was a pretty cheap trade for the NL Wild Card leaders, as they sent $250,000 of international signing bonus allocation money the other way. Brach is a former All-Star from two seasons ago, although, his numbers have not reflected that this season.
Brach is just 1-2 with a 4.85 ERA this season, and also holds an ERA of 10.80 ERA in eight July outings. There is no word on how big of a role he will have in the Braves' bullpen, as left-handers have gotten the best of him with a .342 opponent batting average this year. He has allowed runs in 11 of 42 appearances this season with the last-place O's, recording 38 strikeouts and 19 walks in 39 innings.
He was the Orioles go-to closer over the span of two years, but has just 11 saves this season. To be fair, he is coming from a team that has won just 32 games all year. Baltimore continues to ship away players before Tuesday's 4:00pm deadline, including the likes of Manny Machado and Zach Britton. Outfielder Adam Jones has reportedly been the center of trade rumors, drawing interest from the likes of the Cleveland Indians and Philadelphia Phillies. Although, he has reportedly denied a trade that was in place to send him to the Phillies.
The 32-year-old Brach has a contract that expires at the end of this season, as the Braves found room for him on the roster by transferring Brandon McCarthy to the 60-day disabled list. His best season came in 2016, when he went 10-4, as he also went 7-1 with a 3.18 ERA in 2014. Last season saw him record 18 saves, as he compiled a 26-13 record with a 2.74 ERA in his entire time with the Orioles. There is no doubt that the potential for production is there, and the Braves are hoping that the heat of a playoff race will bring that out of him again.
Brach is just 1-2 with a 4.85 ERA this season, and also holds an ERA of 10.80 ERA in eight July outings. There is no word on how big of a role he will have in the Braves' bullpen, as left-handers have gotten the best of him with a .342 opponent batting average this year. He has allowed runs in 11 of 42 appearances this season with the last-place O's, recording 38 strikeouts and 19 walks in 39 innings.
He was the Orioles go-to closer over the span of two years, but has just 11 saves this season. To be fair, he is coming from a team that has won just 32 games all year. Baltimore continues to ship away players before Tuesday's 4:00pm deadline, including the likes of Manny Machado and Zach Britton. Outfielder Adam Jones has reportedly been the center of trade rumors, drawing interest from the likes of the Cleveland Indians and Philadelphia Phillies. Although, he has reportedly denied a trade that was in place to send him to the Phillies.
The 32-year-old Brach has a contract that expires at the end of this season, as the Braves found room for him on the roster by transferring Brandon McCarthy to the 60-day disabled list. His best season came in 2016, when he went 10-4, as he also went 7-1 with a 3.18 ERA in 2014. Last season saw him record 18 saves, as he compiled a 26-13 record with a 2.74 ERA in his entire time with the Orioles. There is no doubt that the potential for production is there, and the Braves are hoping that the heat of a playoff race will bring that out of him again.
