The Atlanta Braves recently made two separate trades with the Kansas City Royals, parting ways with two arbitration-eligible players. On Friday, the Braves sent right-handers Kyle Wright and Nick Anderson to the Royals. In return, Atlanta acquired right-hander Jackson Kowar in the deal involving Wright, while Anderson was traded for cash.
This follows another trade made by the Braves a day earlier, in which they sent pitcher Mike Soroka and infielder Nicky Lopez, along with pitchers Jared Shuster and Riley Gowens and infielder Braden Shewmake, to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for left-handed reliever Aaron Bummer.
Unfortunately, Kyle Wright, the 28-year-old right-hander, is expected to miss the entire 2024 season due to a surgery he underwent in October to repair a torn capsule in his pitching shoulder. In the previous season, he had a breakout performance, going 21-5 with a 3.19 ERA in 30 starts, becoming the first Braves pitcher since Tom Glavine in 2000 to lead the majors in wins.
On the other hand, Jackson Kowar, who was selected by the Royals in the first round of the 2018 amateur draft, went 2-0 with a 6.43 ERA in 23 big league games this year.
Nick Anderson, the 33-year-old right-hander, was 4-0 with one save and a 3.06 ERA in 35 appearances for Atlanta this year. However, he missed the 2022 season due to surgery to repair a torn right UCL. Throughout his four seasons with the Marlins (2019), Tampa Bay (2019-21), and the Braves, Anderson boasts an 11-6 record with a 2.93 ERA in 128 relief appearances. He also clinched a victory in Game 2 of the 2020 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
To make room on the roster, the Royals designated left-hander Austin Cox for assignment. The 26-year-old made his big league debut on May 4 and had a record of 0-1 with a 4.54 ERA in three starts and 21 relief appearances.
The trade also involves Aaron Bummer, the left-handed reliever for the Chicago White Sox, who will join the Braves. Bummer has a $5.5 million salary for the upcoming year, which marks the final guaranteed season of his $16 million, five-year deal. The deal includes team options of $7.25 million for 2025 and $7.5 million for 2026, each carrying a $1.25 million buyout.