Soler putting up 2023 numbers in second stint with Braves

MIAMI, FL—One of the first and biggest decisions for Miami Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix following the 2023 season was what to do with slugger Jorge Soler.

Soler was coming off a season where he slashed .250/.341/.512/.853 with 36 home runs, 75 RBI and posted a 123 OPS+, his highest since the 2019 season with the Kansas City Royals. He was an All-Star selection that season while living in his offseason home of Miami. Declining his 2024 player option to pursue a multi-year free agent deal was an easy call.

Bendix still had the chance to extend a $20.325M qualifying offer to Soler. That would represent a big pay raise for Soler and allow the Marlins to collect a compensatory draft pick if he turned it down. The offer was not made, however. Late in the offseason, he would sign a three-year, $42M deal with the San Francisco Giants.

This was a Giants team that looked to compete with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres, two teams who had big offseasons of their own. With the additions of Soler and Matt Chapman, plus new manager Bob Melvin, expectations were relatively high.

It's safe to say the Giants fell short of expectations as they were trade deadline sellers, with one of the players going out the door being Soler himself. He reunited with the Atlanta Braves, who took responsibility for the remainder of his contract.

"I honestly didn't think that they were going to trade me," Soler said. "Thankfully, I was given the opportunity to return to Atlanta and I am here and happy."

The first time he was traded to the Braves back in 2021, he posted a 131 OPS+ in 55 regular season games and continued to raked in the postseason on the way to being named World Series MVP. This time around, Soler is slashing .238/.356/.492/.848 with eight home runs, 21 RBI and a 134 OPS+ in 40 games. On Thursday night, Soler hit his 20th home run of the season.

"I like this organization in general," said Soler in Spanish. "I like the players that we have, the way they play the game and the young talent. We play hard every day and there are always good vibes, which I love."

It was worst-case scenario for Atlanta early on as they lost Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider for the remainder of the season, similar to 2021. The Braves currently find themselves two games out of a National League Wild Card spot entering a crucial series against Miami.

"Without them things have been difficult," said Soler. "But we are going out onto the field every day trying to play the best baseball we can and win games because at the end of the day, that's all that matters."

In his limited time with the Giants, Soler did not see a game in the outfield, but with the Braves, things have been reversed because Marcell Ozuna is the team's primary DH.

"When I came here, the general manager told me that I would be playing in the outfield every day," said Soler. "That was going to be the only opportunity for me to play and I want to play every day, so I have to do it."

Soler and the Braves will face off against Mexican right-handed starter Valente Bellozo on Friday, and for the Braves, Charlie Morton will take the mound. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 pm.