While most expected the Braves’ bullpen to take a step back this year (it was always basically impossible to replicate what the 2020 squad did), it has still be jarring to see how rough things have been. Instead of one of the best units in the league which is where the Braves were last year, the relief corps has been in the middle of the pack during 2021 and has been substantially worse outside of the work that AJ Minter and Will Smith have done.
The team has tried to shuffle pieces around and should have Chris Martin back from injury soon, but there is only so much that Nate Jones-level roster moves can do to move the needle. It looks like that the team has now turned its sights to a familiar face.
First, it is worth mentioning that it was actually Talkin’ Jake from Jomboy that had a Greene/Braves reunion in the works, but that doesn’t change the fact that the negotiations between the two sides are being widely reported on now. That wouldn’t be the case if things weren’t close to being done.
It will be interesting to see what terms Greene agrees to as it was reported that he was wanting big time reliever money, but things change when a month of the season passes and both the player is unemployed AND the team has a real need.
After posting a 4.01 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 24.2 innings with the Braves in 2019 after the team acquired him at the trade deadline, Greene put up a 2.60 ERA and 3.81 FIP with 21 strikeouts in 27.2 innings during the 2020 season before testing out free agency.
We will update this story as more details come out.
**UPDATE – 3:21 PM EST**
Jon Heyman is reporting that Greene to the Braves is a done deal
**UPDATE – 3:46 PM EST***
And now we know the cost of the deal. $1.5 million that is pro-rated is pretty much a no-brainer.
Braves in agreement with free-agent reliever Shane Greene on one-year, $1.5M contract, source tells @TheAthletic. Deal is pro-rated; actual earnings will be in $1.1M-$1.2M range. Greene will report to Triple A Gwinnett.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) May 9, 2021
