8 trade targets from the Atlanta Braves for the Colorado Rockies

Atlanta Braves reliever A.J. Minter could help the depleted Colorado Rockies bullpen

Atlanta Braves relief pitcher A.J. Minter would bring an experienced left-handed reliever to the Colorado Rockies bullpen, as no Rockies lefty reliever has even one year of MLB service time.

Minter, 28, has nearly four years of MLB service time as he made his debut in 2017. Minter was very good for the Braves in 2017 and 2018 before he had an awful 2019 season (7.06 ERA in 36 appearances after his walk rate more than doubled) but he has been for them since.

In 2021, Minter appeared in 61 regular season games and he had an ERA of 3.78. However, his 2.69 FIP suggests some bad luck. He had a 1.223 WHIP and he walked 3.4 and struck out 9.8 batters per nine innings. In the postseason, he appeared in eight games and he had an ERA of 3.00 with a FIP of 1.42.

In 2020, he was terrific. Minter had a 0.83 ERA in 22 games with a 2.82 FIP, a 1.108 WHIP, and he averaged 3.7 walks and 10 strikeouts per nine innings. In five postseason games, he had an ERA of 3.00.

He is eligible for arbitration for the first time this offseason so the Rockies, if they acquired him, would have three more years of control on him (at least under the current CBA). He is estimated to get roughly $2.1 million in arbitration.