Braves trade starter Jhoulys Chacin to Angels
The Atlanta Braves have traded the oldest pitcher in their rotation: 28-year-old Jhoulys Chacin.
The Braves are sending Chacin to the Los Angeles Angels for minor-league pitcher Adam McCreery, clearing the way for Williams Perez, 24, to re-join the Braves rotation.
Chacin dominated out of the gates for the Braves, but his production was undercut by a disastrous final outing in New York, where he allowed eight earned runs (four homers) in 4 2/3 innings pitched against the Mets. Still, the former Rockies arm appears to have regained his health after battling shoulder issues. He heads to Los Angeles with a 5.40 ERA and 9.11 strikeouts per nine innings — joining an Angels staff in desperate need of help after losing ace Garrett Richards to Tommy John surgery. (The shorthanded Angels also playing without former Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons due to thumb surgery.)
McCreery, 23, is a 6-foot-8 left-handed pitcher and a former 22nd-round pick out of Azusa Pacific University in the 2014 draft. Though still competing in rookie ball, the 195-pound southpaw posted a 2.41 ERA last season. He opened his 2016 campaign in extended spring training.
Atlanta's big-league staff is now made up entirely of 25-and-under right-handers.
Perez opened the season in Atlanta's rotation, making three starts before quickly being demoted. He ran up a 5.11 ERA and worse peripherals — logging a 5.36 fielding-independent pitching after walking more batters than he struck out — but strong performances for Triple-A Gwinnett pushes him back into the fold. Perez pitched a one-hit shutout on May 6, striking out seven, in his final Triple-A start.
He's been a sub-replacement level pitcher (-0.3 WAR) over 129 MLB innings.
The Braves' rotational youth movement is no secret after opening the season with Julio Teheran and Matt Wisler on the 25-man roster while Mike Foltynewicz and top-five prospect Aaron Blair were quickly promoted within the first 30 games. Last season, the Braves set the major-league record with 151 starts from players under the age of 25.
Coppolella: “We’re trying to grow with our young players. We now have a starting rotation all age 25 or younger.” https://t.co/cpcDdzz9xg
— FOX Sports Southeast (@FOXSportsSE) May 11, 2016
