The Braves have continued to look for a trade partner for third baseman Chris Johnson, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports in a series of tweets. In addition to deals for Johnson himself, Atlanta has also made proposals that would include Johnson along with another (more desirable) player, akin to how the Braves managed to get Melvin Upton Jr.’s contract off their books by dealing him to the Padres with Craig Kimbrel in April. The Braves tried a similar “packaging” tactic with Johnson himself in offseason trade talks.
Johnson is hitting .229/.272/.313 with one homer over 103 plate appearances this season, and he also missed about a month of action recovering from a hand fracture. If struggling at the plate in 2014 and 2015 wasn’t enough to lower his trade value, Johnson is owed roughly $3MM more in salary this season and $17.5MM through the 2017 campaign.
The Giants were one of the clubs who at least discussed Johnson with the Braves last winter but Rosenthal reports that San Francisco doesn’t have any interest now. Rookie Matt Duffy has quite capably stepped in at third base in the wake of Casey McGehee’s struggles, and since both Duffy and Johnson are right-handed bats, there would be little avenue for Johnson to find playing time in the Bay Area even if he was being acquired largely as a throw-in.
Rosenthal speculates that a deal of Johnson and Cameron Maybin for Jake Peavy and Angel Pagan would balance out the salaries, though that exact package was never discussed between the two teams. It’s also hard to imagine Peavy waiving his no-trade clause to go to a rebuilding team, though the Braves are just a few games back of the Giants in the standings.
Though Atlanta is still in the wild card hunt, the team has made such a push to acquire young talent under president of baseball operations John Hart that it’s hard to see the Braves being notable buyers at the trade deadline. The Braves could perhaps tie Johnson to one of those newly-acquired prospects in order to get him off the roster — the “buy a prospect” strategy that Hart himself used to recently acquire Touki Toussaint and Bronson Arroyo’s expiring contract from Arizona. Maybin or closer Jason Grilli stand out as veterans who could be shopped and possibly linked along with Johnson in a trade.
That trade has to be the stupidest thing ever written… The braves don’t need Peavy or Pagan, so why would they make that trade?
Exactly.. It makes no sense.. Maybin is about the only player in that trade that has value right now.. Suggesting trading him and Johnson for two players that the Braves absolutely don’t need just so equal contract cost trades hands is just dumb.. Maybin will score a decent prospect from a team like the Mariners or Mets that are hurting for offense this year.. Maybe sending Maybin, Johnson, and cash/another prospect to the Mets for Plawecki..
Basically, that would amount to the Braves giving away Cameron Maybin in order to save no money whatsoever. Great idea!
Because Nick Markakis is lonely?
I’m not the biggest Maybin fan, but if Atlanta made that trade, they should all be fired. He has improved a lot since coming to Atlanta.
I’d rather have Johnson on the bench than Peavy. I see no use for Pagan either.
How about Maybin and Johnson for Pagan and Tim Hudson instead of Peavy. I bet the Braves fans would love to see Hudson back in a Braves uniform. Braves shed salary and get a beloved player back. Giants get a dynamic CF and help to clear their glut of starters.
Could be good for both parties.
I could see Maybin for Andrew Susac.
To the person who said why trade Maybin, why not? You should sell high on him. So far he’s having a career season and Maybin isn’t a long term option. You have Peraza (who has switched from 2B to OF and back a million times) and Mallex Smith. Sell high on Maybin and get a solid prospect or two. I think the Braves have learned they need to sell high on people who aren’t typically that all-stars (ex. Jair Jurrjens)
Trading Maybin for Peavy and Pagan is not selling high on him.
I read it wrong, read it as if they trade Maybin at all.
I would be against getting Peavy because we honestly don’t need anymore starting pitching, but Pagan wouldn’t be that bad. It wouldn’t make much sense, but wouldn’t be awful. Like trading a hammer for a hammer, they do the same thing.
I think it’s awful since the Braves would be wasting an opportunity. Maybin has turned things around enough that he has made himself a decent trade piece. He has given the Braves an unexpected gift. Throwing that away on a move that doesn’t help them now or in the future doesn’t make any sense.
I agree with trading Maybin for prospects.
I don’t think they should trade him for Pagan and Peavy.
No way they Trade him within Division.
News about SF’s interest in Chris Johnson is an old bone. I expect ATL packs CJ with pitching prospects in order to shed his ugly contract but that’ll be for the offseason. If Freeman’s wrist is ok by the AS Break I’m all for them holding unless some fabulous offer is made.
The only way I see CJ getting traded this month is if it’s with someone else that can help another team win in 2015 because that’s where all the value lies. But who? I don’t figure the Braves have much that they’d be willing to offer so maybe it does come down to trading Maybin but the Giants aren’t any sort of a match with that.
I’m conflicted on whether looking to trade Maybin for prospects or salary relief (of Chris Johnson’s salary) would make sense. With what Maybin is doing right now, his $9 million team option for 2017 seems pretty reasonable, and the Braves will in all likelihood have a solid team around him by then. And it’s not as if it’s a total shock to see Maybin playing well — he has all the talent in the world and was touted as the next big thing and a true five-tool guy for years, so perhaps he’s just a bit of a late bloomer. On the other hand, if John Hart can convince someone of that but doesn’t actually believe it himself, then selling high makes sense.
How about a deal with the Dodgers who want one or two starting pitchers. The Braves trade Julio Teheran, Jonny Gomes, Chris Johnson and Williams Perez to LAD for Alexander Guerrero, Yasiel Puig and Kyle Farmer (C, former UGA QB). Money over four years favors Braves by 2.2 mil, but there would still be 12 left for Teheran for one year plus a buyout.