DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers have traded outfielder Robbie Grossman to the Atlanta Braves for minor league pitcher Kris Anglin.
#Tigers acquire LHP Kris Anglin from Atlanta in exchange for OF Robbie Grossman: pic.twitter.com/hoeclNXTXD
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) August 2, 2022
Grossman, 32, is set to become a free agent this season after spending the last year and a half with the Tigers. He hit 23 homers and 23 doubles, stole 20 bases, and posted a .357 on-base percentage in 2021, his first season in Detroit.
This year, Grossman is hitting just .205 with a .313 OBP, two home runs, 13 doubles, and three stolen bases.
Anglin, 20, was selected by the Braves in the 16th round of last year’s draft. He’s posted a 4.24 ERA, a 1.366 WHIP, and 10 strikeouts per nine across 63.2 innings so far as a minor leaguer.
This season, he owns a 4.64 ERA, a 1.433 WHIP, and 9.6 K/9 between rookie ball and Single-A. He’s also walking 4.5 batters per nine innings.
Anglin isn’t ranked among Atlanta’s top 30 prospects by either Baseball America or MLB Pipeline.
The MLB trade deadline is at 6 p.m. Tuesday (Aug. 2) Tigers general manager Al Avila has a history of making deadline deals with the Braves. In 2019, he sent Shane Greene to Atlanta in exchange for Joey Wentz and Travis Demeritte.
Last season, Avila made a similar swap when he traded Daniel Norris to Milwaukee in a one-for-one that brought back pitching prospect Reese Olson.
Anglin isn’t much of a prospect, but considering how little value Grossman had as a struggling outfielder on an expiring contract, it doesn’t hurt to take a flier on a 20-year-old pitcher.
For the Braves, Grossman is a low-cost gamble similar to the ones they made at last year’s deadline to acquire Joc Pederson, Jorge Soler, Eddie Rosario, and Adam Duvall. None of those were blockbusters, but they ultimately helped Atlanta win the 2021 World Series.