Dodgers Agrees deal for the Free Agent to Joins Atlanta Braves after a wonderful season performances
Ken Giles was once known as a 100-mph closer for the 2017 World Series champion Houston Astros. He appeared in 21 minor league games in the Dodgers’ organization in 2023 and logged an earned run average of 9.50. Friday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Giles signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves.
He was traded to Toronto during the 2018 season and has been plagued with injuries ever since. He missed most of 2020 and 2021 with Tommy John surgery and came back for five games with the Seattle Mariners in 2022.
Over the past four seasons, Giles has only made nine Major League appearances and pitched eight innings. Giles had a 2.71 ERA and 115 saves in 362 appearances over eight major-league seasons, with 484 strikeouts in 355 1/3 innings. The right-hander burst onto the MLB scene by posting a 1.56 ERA in 113 appearances in his first two seasons with Philadelphia in 2014-2015 and had 16 saves while filling in as the closer. Per David O’Brien via The Athletic .The Braves have invited 60 players to big league camp, and the signing of Giles is a low-risk one. They already have a deep bullpen anchored by closer Raisel Iglesias. If he can add a couple of ticks back to his fastball, he will be a great addition to the six-time reigning NL East champions.
One former St. Louis Cardinals hurler is getting a fresh start with the Atlanta Braves.
Atlanta recently announced its 2024 Spring Training non-roster invitees and included in its list was former Cardinals reliever Jake Walsh who was signed to a minor league deal, according to MLB.com’s John Denton.
“Former Cardinals reliever Jake Walsh is headed to Spring Training with the Braves on a minor league contract,” Denton said.
Walsh was selected by the Cardinals in the 16th round of the 2017 Major League Baseball June Amateur Draft and he has spent his entire professional career in the organization to this point.
The 28-year-old worked his way up the Cardinals’ farm system and made his big league debut with the club in 2022 and appeared in three games and allowed four earned runs in 2 2/3 innings pitched.
Walsh spent the 2023 campaign with the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds before suffering an injury and being released by the club. The righty appeared in 27 games with Memphis and had a 5.28 ERA and 34-to-23 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 30 2/3 innings pitched. He was released in July and has been a free agent ever since.
The righty will now have a chance to work his way back from injury as a member of the Braves. It’s unclear what his role will be, but he likely will spend a good chunk of the season in the minors if he can impress in Spring Training.
It could never hurt to add depth at the minor-league level will big league upside. If he can shine, maybe at some point he could get a call up to the big league level.
