The Braves’ 2021 World Series MVP, Jorge Soler, is returning to Atlanta. On Monday, Atlanta acquired the 32-year-old outfielder/designated hitter from the San Francisco Giants through a four-player transaction. Luke Jackson, a right-handed reliever and an important part of the Braves’ 2021 championship team, is also coming back to Atlanta. Minor league infielder Sabin Ceballos and left-hander Tyler Matzek were sent to San Francisco.
In February, Soler became a free agent and signed a four-year, $42 million contract with the Giants. He played in 93 games with San Francisco during his one and only partial season, hitting.240 with a.330 on-base percentage, a.419 slugging percentage, 12 home runs, and 40 RBIs. Soler, who was named an All-Star by the Miami Marlins in 2023, first won a World Series ring in 2016 with the Chicago Cubs and then another with Atlanta. With the Chicago Cubs (2014–16), Kansas City Royals (2017–21), Atlanta (2021), Marlins (2022-23), and San Francisco (2024) in his 11 major league seasons, Soler has a career batting line of.243/.330/.462 with 182 home runs and 492 RBIs in 963 games. During the 2021 trade deadline, Soler was originally acquired by the Braves from Kansas City. Soler led the Braves to a.300 batting average with three home runs and six RBIs in the 2021 World Series against the Houston Astros.
Jackson pitched a total of 3 2/3 innings in three scoreless appearances during that series. In his second season with the Giants, Jackson, 32, had a difficult season, finishing 4-2 in 36 appearances with a 5.40 ERA. He has a 22-10 record in nine major league seasons with the Texas Rangers (2015–16), Atlanta (2017–21), and San Francisco (2023–24), all in relief. In 322 games, he has a 4.23 ERA and 19 saves. Due to an elbow injury, Matzek, 33, has been on the injured list since the beginning of May. After missing all of 2023 due to Tommy John surgery, he returned this season and has a 9.90 ERA in 11 relief appearances for Atlanta.
He has made no decisions. He has a 16-21 record, one save, and a 3.72 ERA in 168 career games (24 starts) with the Colorado Rockies (2014–15) and Braves (2020–22, 2024). In 84 games this season, Ceballos, 21, was hitting.259/.353/.354 with three home runs and thirty RBIs for high Class-A Rome.
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