Braves pull off trade with Angels

The trade deadline is not until late July, but teams are already making moves. The Los Angeles Angels traded pitcher Jimmy Herget to the Atlanta Braves on Thursday, per Angels PR.

Atlanta already features pitching depth. The Braves are always open to boosting their pitching staff, though. This is not a game-changing move by any means, but it could pay dividends for Atlanta down the road.

Herget is a 30-year-old reliever who made his MLB debut in 2019. The Braves bullpen is currently led by closer Raisel Iglesias. Other relievers such as AJ Minter and Joe Jimenez also play pivotal roles in the bullpen.

With all of that being said, Herget may still factor into the equation at some point.

Jimmy Herget set to join Braves

Herget made his big league debut in 2019 with the Cincinnati Reds. He pitched in just five games during the ’19 campaign. In 2020, Herget received an opportunity in the Texas Rangers bullpen.

He pitched to a strong 3.20 ERA across 20 appearances (one start) with Texas. The Rangers likely believed Herget would be apart of their future following his impressive 2020 performance. In 2021, though, he took a step in the wrong direction.

He struggled mightily over four appearances with the Rangers and Texas went in a different direction. Herget ended up with the Angels later in the 2021 season, and recorded mediocre results across 14 relief outings.

In 2022, Herget reminded the MLB world of his high-ceiling. He enjoyed the best season of his career out of the Angels bullpen. The Braves are surely hoping he can replicate his ’22 results.

Herget pitched to the tune of a career-best 2.48 ERA in 49 appearances (one start) for Los Angeles. He even picked up nine saves. It was an all-around terrific campaign for the right-handed reliever.

However, he finished 2023 with a 4.66 ERA in 29 appearances for the Angels. He has yet to throw a pitch at the big league level in 2024.

Herget features the talent and potential to be a reliable reliever in MLB. He’s been inconsistent, though. The Braves are taking a chance in hopes that he can get back on track.

Atlanta’s 2024 bullpen

Again, the Braves have an impressive bullpen. Atlanta currently ranks ninth in bullpen ERA with a mark of 3.52, per StatMuse. They are also the fifth best team when it comes to limiting runs.

They are just 26th in strikeouts, however. Herget happens to have a career K/9 (strikeouts per nine innings pitched) of just under 8.00. He’s a reliever who is more than capable of adding quality strikeout numbers to any bullpen.

Strikeouts are especially important for relievers who are not primary closers since they often enter games with runners on base. Being able to strand runners in scoring position is much easier for strikeout pitchers.

Is Herget the best strikeout pitcher in baseball? No, but his production is something the Braves likely took note of.

The Braves hold a 20-9 record as of this story’s writing. As a result, they have the best record in MLB. Atlanta expects to compete for a World Series title in 2024, and perhaps Herget will play a role in their Fall Classic pursuit.