The Braves acquired 3 new BP arms, all RHP. The price paid for each of them is debatable, but let's take an objective look at how good they are compared to the arms currently in the Braves BP.
2019 xwOBA values for the current BP arms with 50+ PAs:
Jackson (R) 0.272
Webb (R) 0.281
Swarzak (R) 0.291
Newcomb (L) 0.291 (0.281 out of the BP)
Tomlin (R) 0.310
Sobotka (R) 0.322
Blevins (L) 0.330
Minter (L) 0.333
Shane Greene (moved to BP in 2016):
2016 0.283
2017 0.310
2018 0.322
2019 0.282
He likely slots in right around Newk and Swarzak in terms of effectiveness, perhaps a bit better.
Mark Melancon:
2015 0.253
2016 0.248
2017 0.297
2018 0.353
2019 0.299
I have no problem throwing out his 2018 season and calling him a 0.300 xwOBA BP arm. He probably slots in just behind Newk/Swarzak, and I have no idea why AA felt the need to pay him $14M in 2020.
Chris Martin (came back from Japan in 2018):
2018: 0.321
2019: 0.290
Nothing special in 2018, but has performed about as well as Swarzak and Newk in 2019. Acquired for nothing, he was a solid pick up.
In all, AA picked up 3 RHP that are all going to be among the best 5-6 BP arms on the roster, but none of them are elite...or really even difference makers. None of them can be used to shut down the potent LHH the Braves are likely to see in October. They were acquired for very little in terms of prospects, but the cash owed to Melancon is going to be pretty brutal in 2020 when the Braves are on the hunt for a C, 3B, cOF and possibly a SP.
I would give AA a C- at this deadline...slightly below average. He upgraded the BP with quantity over quality, didn't add any help in the form of LHP, didn't address the need for a RHH bat to platoon with Ender, and didn't get another impact SP that could have pushed someone like Fried or Gausman to the BP. He also shackled the team with a decent BP arm that will suck up 10% of the 2020 payroll. If the Melancon trade had not happened at all I would have given him a C+...slightly above average.
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