Aaron Bummer Shines in Atlanta After Rocky Start
Following a rough start, Aaron Bummer has found his stride with the Atlanta Braves, proving to be a valuable addition to their bullpen. Meanwhile, the players the Braves traded for him haven’t fared well, highlighting the savvy of Braves General Manager Alex Anthopoulos.
When Bummer allowed three runs in his first two outings for Atlanta, it seemed his 2023 struggles were continuing, leaving some Braves fans skeptical of the trade that sent five players, including fan-favorite Michael Soroka, to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for Bummer.
However, since those initial games, the lefty reliever has been stellar for the Braves. This performance, contrasted with the underwhelming results of the players traded to Chicago, underscores the effectiveness of Anthopoulos’ decision.
How Has the Aaron Bummer Trade Worked Out for the Braves?
After a challenging final season with the White Sox, where his ERA was 6.79, Bummer has excelled with the Braves. In 25.1 innings, the 30-year-old has posted a 3.20 ERA, striking out 25.9% of batters faced. His ability to limit hard contact and keep the ball on the ground has been impressive, with a 59.2% ground ball rate, ranking in the 96th percentile according to Baseball Savant. Despite some bad luck indicated by his xERA of 3.04 and FIP of 2.51, Bummer has contributed a 0.4 fWAR, making him one of the top performers in the Atlanta bullpen.
How Has the Bummer Trade Worked Out for the Chicago White Sox?
The Chicago White Sox are currently on pace to lose 119 games, just shy of the MLB record for losses since 1901. While their overall performance doesn’t entirely reflect the trade’s success, it’s not unrelated.
In return for Bummer, the White Sox received Michael Soroka, Nicky Lopez, Braden Shewmake, Jared Shuster, and Riley Gowens. A five-for-one trade usually involves a star player, not a middle reliever, but it allowed the Braves to offload players they were likely to non-tender or who lacked a clear future with the organization.
Player Performances Post-Trade:
- Michael Soroka struggled in nine starts with a 6.39 ERA, allowing 10 home runs and walking as many batters as he struck out. Moved to the bullpen in May, he showed slight improvement with a 4.15 ERA in 17.1 innings, but his control issues persisted with 6.23 walks per nine innings, resulting in a -0.4 fWAR.
- Nicky Lopez has taken on a full-time starting role at second base. Despite strong defense (2 OAA), his offensive struggles continue, slashing .235/.288/.265 (61 wRC+), with no home runs and a 28.6% success rate in stolen bases, leading to a -0.2 fWAR.
- Braden Shewmake spent a brief stint on the major league roster, struggling significantly with a -13 wRC+ and -3 OAA, leading to a demotion and a -0.7 fWAR. He is currently on the minor league injured list.
- Jared Shuster has been serviceable, with a 3.49 ERA in 28.1 innings (4.31 FIP) and a 0.1 fWAR. Despite low strikeout rates and high walk rates, he has managed to avoid major damage.
- Riley Gowens has spent the year with the A+ level Winston-Salem Dash, posting a 4.40 ERA in 59.1 innings.
Overall, the five players acquired by the White Sox have combined for a -1.2 fWAR, indicating the trade has not worked out well for Chicago.
Despite the volume of players traded, Alex Anthopoulos and the Braves appear to have come out ahead, acquiring a key bullpen piece while parting with players who had limited future value to the team.
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