Atlanta Braves Get: LHP Trey Ball, 3B Michael Chavis, 1B/OF Nick Longhi and C Blake Swihart
Boston Red Sox Get: RHP Julio Teheran
The Rumor
The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo heard that Julio Teheran's name is popping up in lots of front offices as someone who might be available before the trade deadline, noting that "Teheran should land [president of baseball operations John Hart] a haul" in return.
Why It Makes Sense for the Braves
Atlanta could hold out in the hopes a team will make the same mistake Arizona did and overpay for a good, but not great, young pitcher. But there's a better chance of the Braves playing next season at Turner Field than there is of such an offer coming along for Julio Teheran.
That's not saying this is a bad deal for the Braves by any stretch, as they walk away with three potential everyday players, including one that's ready to make an immediate impact and another intriguing young arm to add to their growing stable of intriguing young arms.
Blake Swihart is the centerpiece, an offensively gifted, switch-hitting 24-year-old catcher who continues to improve defensively. The Braves could plug him into the lineup immediately as the right-handed part of a platoon with A.J. Pierzynski, who would be a great mentor for the young backstop.
Michael Chavis, 20, has everything teams look for in a third baseman—including the requisite power. While all his tools are still developing, and he's always going to have lots of swings and misses in his game, Chavis projects as a 20- to 25-home run hitter who provides average defense at the hot corner.
Nick Longhi may not seem like an ideal fit with the Braves, considering Freddie Freeman is entrenched at first base, but the 20-year-old is athletic enough to handle an outfield corner and has the strong arm needed to fill the void in right field.
Trey Ball hasn't quite lived up to expectations since Boston made him the seventh-overall pick in the 2013 MLB draft, but the 6'6" 21-year-old is still young enough to make the adjustments needed for him to reach his ceiling as a front-of-the-rotation arm. At worst, he's a durable, reliable back-end starter.
Why It Makes Sense for the Red Sox
Julio Teheran's fly-ball tendencies don't make him a perfect fit at Fenway Park, but that's hardly a reason for Boston to pass on the chance to add a controllable, experienced, 25-year-old starter that is under team control through 2020 for roughly $40 million.
And while the price to acquire him is high, so is the upside.
Teheran has bounced back from a down 2015 (4.04 ERA, 1.31 WHIP) with a 3.48 ERA and 1.21 WHIP over seven starts while striking out nearly a batter per inning, looking far more like the pitcher that posted a combined 3.03 ERA and 1.12 WHIP from 2013 to 2014.
He's also proven himself durable, averaging 32 starts and 202 innings a year since 2013. For a Boston rotation that needs another legitimate, front-of-the-rotation arm, Teheran would be an excellent addition, even if he gets taken deep a bit more often than you'd like.