The rich just became richer today.
According to multiple sources, the St. Louis Cardinals landed outfielder Jason Heyward in a trade with the Atlanta Braves. In exchange, the Braves will receive upstart pitcher Shelby Miller and Tyrell Jenkins.
This deal may seem surprising at first, but it shouldn’t be.
Heyward was once the Braves most prized prospect back in the late 2000’s. Atlanta wanted to build their franchise around him, but Heyward didn’t deliver the way they thought he would.
In five full seasons with the Braves, Heyward never came close to hitting .300. And, he never came close to driving in 100 runs in a season. Last year, Heyward batted .271 with 11 HR, 58 RBI, along with 20 steals. Heyward underachieved offensively every year with Atlanta, but he did win two Gold Gloves.
The Braves decision to deal Heyward is bold, but it is logical.
Heyward was heading into his contract year with the team and his limited production wasn’t worth the big contract. Now, the Braves have an opportunity to make some moves in free agency and rebuild.
The Cardinals, on the other hand, are retooling. So, the addition of Jason Heyward will help. Heyward will fill the void that Allen Craig left when he was traded to the Red Sox this past summer. Depending on how well Heyward pans out, the Cardinals could have the championship formula that they have been searching for all along.
You know what they say: “Go big or go home”. The Braves are definitely going big with this trade. It is a risky move today, but it may turn out to be a brilliant move in the future.
