Astros, Braves swap pitchers Jake Odorizzi, Will Smith in trade

The Atlanta Braves acquired right-handed starter Jake Odorizzi from the Houston Astros on Tuesday in exchange for left-handed relief pitcher Will Smith.

Odorizzi, 32, is 4-3 this season in 12 starts after missing nearly two months due to a leg injury suffered in May. His last outing on Sunday was his best of the year with no runs and only two hits allowed in seven innings against the Seattle Mariners. He also had a season-high eight strikeouts. In 2019, Odorizzi earned All-Star honors during a stint with the Minnesota Twins and finished the year with a 15-7 record and 3.51 ERA.

Atlanta is 3.5 games back in the NL East and currently leads the race for the first of three wild-card berths in the National League. The team is seventh in MLB in runs allowed but was on the hunt for an upgrade in its starting rotation with 24-year-old starter Ian Anderson struggling. Anderson leads the NL in walks issued and has a 4.99 ERA.

The Astros get back Smith, who also received an All-Star nod in 2019. Last season, he recorded 37 saves as the Braves' closer, but this year he yielded that role to Kenley Jansen. Smith has allowed 35 hits and 18 earned runs in 37 innings pitched this season.

Houston has spent the final days before the trade deadline adding to its offense with acquisitions of Trey Mancini from the Baltimore Orioles and Christian Vázquez from the Boston Red Sox.