Atlanta Braves: Why They Shouldn’t Trade Julio Teheran
By Kit Anderson
The Atlanta Braves are facing a difficult question this off-season. Should they trade their former “ace” Julio Teheran, or should they stick with the righty for yet another season?
Julio Teheran has been one of the most inconsistent Atlanta Braves players in recent history. That is saying quite a lot for a roster who before this season, was full of instability and underachieving players.
Teheran broke in with Atlanta in 2013 pitching 185+ innings with a 3.20 ERA. It was a very impressive season, and gave Braves fans hope Teheran was a future top rotation piece for the team.
The next season was even better with 2.89 ERA and over 200 innings eaten. Another step forward for a player thought to be a building block in Atlanta.
Since those first two seasons, however, inconsistency has plagued Teheran to a point the Braves have considered parting ways with him. His ERA has been well over four, two out of the last four seasons.
This past season he pushed the mark with a 3.94 ERA pitching inconsistently all season and was irrelevant in the postseason. Now the front office has a decision to make, bet on Julio Teheran or trade him for whatever they can find.
The answer should be obvious to even the most casual Braves fan. Trading Teheran would be a huge mistake. He is on a team friendly deal and can always be bumped to the bullpen if his struggles become even worse in the 2019 season.
Julio has been the opening day starter in Atlanta for multiple seasons and at twenty-seven is likely a finished product. Teheran should stay in Atlanta, his trade value is headed in the wrong direction and because of that Atlanta must stay with their pitcher.
Teheran has the capability to bounce back or provide value further down in the Braves rotation. Slotting him 4th or 5th in the rotation at the start of the season makes a lot of sense for the Braves and gives Teheran a low-pressure situation to attempt to bounce back.
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Teheran may not be the ace many fans in Atlanta were hoping he would become. But he has become a solid pitcher who has more value in Atlanta then on an opposing team. Hopefully, Teheran is yet to pitch his last inning as a Brave.