The Atlanta Braves made a move for one of the top free agent pitchers on the market this winter on Monday, signing Drew Smyly to a one-year deal worth $11 million.
Smyly spent the 2019 season as a member of the San Francisco Giants after signing a one-year deal worth only $4 million. He was coming off of a pair of unsuccessful seasons which saw him struggle with Philadelphia and Texas, posting inflated ERAs.
The Giants bet on the Tampa Bay Rays version of Smyly, who had been a successful starting pitcher from 2014 to 2016, and they came up big.
Smyly posted an excellent 3.42 ERA in seven games with San Francisco this season, striking out 42 batters in only 26.1 innings pitched after adding velocity to his fastball.
The Braves will now hope that Smyly will slot in as a veteran presence who will provide quality innings in the team’s rotation alongside young pitchers like Mike Soroka, Max Fried, and Kyle Wright.
He is expected to make the team’s rotation as they look to win their fourth consecutive NL East title and compete for a championship.
Smyly will report to Braves Spring Training in February as he looks to make an impact with his new team.
