If there were ever two GMs that were made for each other in terms of being wheelers and dealers (other than the now banned for life John Coppolella), it is the Mariners’ Jerry DiPoto and the Braves’ Alex Anthopoulos.
The Braves made some serious waves earlier this week when they signed Brian McCann to a one year deal as well as signing one of the top free agents on the market, Josh Donaldson, to a one year, $23 million deal. To add both players, the Braves designated Adam McCreery and Ricardo Sanchez for assignment to make room on the 40 man roster.
Well, McCreery was shipped to the Dodgers earlier today and now it looks like Ricardo has a new home as well.
In addition to trading Adam McCreery to L.A., the #Braves have dealt LHP prospect Ricardo Sanchez to the #Mariners. Sanchez was bumped off the 40-man when Brian McCann signed with Atlanta.
— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) November 28, 2018
While details on the Braves return have yet to come out officially, don’t get your hopes up on a deal for Edwin Diaz or Mitch Haniger just yet. It sounds like this trade is another deal where the Braves’ return is going to be some cash and its likely the details are just still getting ironed out.
Sanchez is a promising young arm who the Braves thought enough of to protect from the Rule 5 draft last offseason. However, with well over a dozen starting pitching prospects ahead of him on the Braves depth chart in the minor leagues, it was a long shot that Sanchez would ever make it to the big leagues for the Braves as he has battled injury and inconsistency over the last couple of seasons. He should have a clearer path to the major leagues with Seattle whose farm system is...less packed with pitching talent.