The trade for Matt Olson will go down as one of the most critical junctures in Braves history — for better or worse. How Freddie Freeman and Olson perform over the course of their respective contracts will determine a lot, but how the players the Braves traded away pan out also plays a role. So far, it looks like Atlanta got the better of the deal.
Shea Langeliers started off the season on fire, but he’s cooled off considerably since May. He still has an OPS of .859 in AAA, which is even more impressive considering how terrific he is defensively behind the plate. Langeliers is quickly shooting up prospects lists and is one of the best backstops in the minors right now. At the very least, the A’s look to have found their catcher of the future.
However, with the way William Contreras has emerged at the major-league level this season, losing Langeliers stings a lot less. And outside of Langeliers, the rest of the players the Braves sent to Oakland have performed abysmally.
Most recently, Cristian Pache has been demoted to AAA after another forgetful start to the season, which pains me to say. Pache is one of the most likable players in all of baseball, and while it might hurt a little to watch him turn into Andruw Jones for another team, he’ll always have a fan in me. Pache is impossible not to root for, but right now, it’s clear he’s not ready for the majors.
A’s have sent Cristian Pache to Triple A. Pache is batting .159 on the season with 2 HR & 13 RBI over 201 AB. He’s collected only eight extra-base hits while walking at a 5.1% rate and striking out 26.2% of the time. pic.twitter.com/CjbR7UX7zl
— Gradick Sports (@GradickSports) July 1, 2022
Pache is one of the best defensive centerfielders on the planet, but not even that can make up for how miserable he’s been at the plate. He’s still young, but his offensive woes are now a significant concern.
Pache isn’t the only member of the trade struggling, though. The Athletics also landed Ryan Cusick, the Braves’ 2021 first-round pick. He looked like a very promising prospect in his first stint of professional ball with Augusta last season, but he’s made seven starts in AA this season and posted an 8.13 ERA. Joey Estes was also included in the trade, who was also lights out for Augusta in 2021, but like Cusick, 2022 hasn’t been nearly as kind. He’s recorded a 4.94 over 11 starts in High-A ball.
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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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