Ervin Santana pitched just one season for the Braves, going 14-10 with a 3.95 ERA in 2014. He would be a footnote in franchise history – except, perhaps, for the compensatory draft pick the Braves received when he left as a free agent after that season.
Santana rejected the Braves’ $15.3 million qualifying offer in November 2014, as they expected he would, and signed with the Minnesota Twins. As compensation, the Braves got an extra pick, No. 28 overall, in the June 2015 draft.
They used it well, drafting 17-year-old Canadian high school pitcher Mike Soroka.
Fast-forward almost three years, and Soroka made his big-league debut for the Braves on Tuesday night by holding the Mets to one run on six hits in six innings at Citi Field. The Braves – and their 20-year-old starting pitcher – won 3-2.
The Braves stockpiled high draft picks by losing a lot of games in recent seasons. But they were in position to draft Soroka in June 2015 because they tried to win in 2014, the last season before their teardown and rebuild began.
The Braves’ starting rotation was decimated by injuries in spring training 2014. So the team went over budget to sign the veteran Santana, a free agent at the time, to a one-year, $14.1 million contract as a last-minute quick-fix solution. The Braves gave up the 26th pick in the June 2014 draft as compensation for signing Santana – but gained back the 28th pick one year later as compensation for losing him.
If Soroka goes on to have the kind of career now projected for him, Ervin Santana will become the answer to a pretty good trivia question in Braves Country.
* * *
TODAY’S LEADOFF LINKS
> Jeff Schultz discusses the Braves' performance so far this season with general manager Alex Anthopoulos.
> The Hawks interview the fifth known candidate for their coaching job, Michael Cunningham writes.
> Hector Villalba's return raises questions for Atlanta United, Doug Roberson writes.
