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Chop Shop blog, March 11, 2023
I didn't expect the Braves to do much on the free agent market this year. I don't think anyone did. Over the past two weeks, they reached deals with two intriguing players. Neither is a true star, but both could be contributing members of a championship team.
When Doug Tars reached the major leagues, he opened eyes with his power. Very few middle infielders pack that kind of thunder. However, Tars' homers came at a huge cost. He made contact so infrequently that his OPS+ was in the high 90s--in other words, he was a major league-average hitter.
However, Tars can flat-out pick it at second base, making him an extremely valuable player. The Braves signed him to a two-year, $9.7 million contract, which doesn't seem like too much to pay for a player like Tars. He's 30, and should hold his value over the life of his contract.
Yesterday, the Braves added a much-needed lefty to their starting rotation. Tomas Tavira has toiled diligently for some lousy Blue Jays teams over the past eight seasons. His roly-poly, 5'7", 202-pound body and the fact that he doesn't throw 95 MPH heat might cause some to underestimate Tavira's ability. He's a ground-ball machine who should step in and give the Braves a very solid #4 starter.
Tavira is also 30 years old, and the Braves have him under contract for the next three years at just under $3 million per. That's a bargain for 180 innings of decent starting pitching.
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