Jordan Walden joins bullpen of Atlanta Braves as Los Angeles Angels trade him - MLB Update
Reliever Jordan Walden has joined hands with the rest of the pitchers hosted by the bullpen of the Atlanta Braves. His inclusion serves to fulfil the need of Atlanta to have a powerful arm in their pitching staff. Tommy Hanson has been sent to the Angels
in return for him.
Hanson could not live up to the expectations of the club in the last couple of seasons. As opposed to showing year-by-year improvements, his struggle at the mound was becoming a permanent source of disappointment for the team.
Along with this, his existence in the rotation of Atlanta was unjustifiable, in light of the excessive supply of quality starting pitchers. The likes of Tim Hudson and Brandon Beachy and others can make his presence in the team look unnecessary.
That, combined with the requirement of a reliever for throwing in the eighth or ninth inning during the matches, rendered him an ideal candidate to be traded.
Hanson knows the fact that he has been far from what was expected by the management from him since his entry in Major League Baseball.
After the latest adjustment in the pitching staff, the Braves can feel comfortable for having addressed some of their most pressing issues in the offseason.
Earlier they signed centre fielder B. J. Upton for a five-year $75.25 million deal, rightly filling a vacant spot in the outfield after their regular player at this position, Michael Bourn became a free agent.
General Manager for Atlanta, Frank Wren while commenting on the trade of Hanson has stated that they desperately needed a relief pitcher. The current lot of pitchers has made Atlanta have one of the strongest bullpen in the league, according to Wren.
"We've been focused on adding a power arm to our bullpen all offseason," Frank Wren said. "We felt if we added one power arm we would have a bullpen that would stack up with the best bullpens in our league. Jordan Walden has closing experience and the kind
of arm that will stack up well in a seventh- and eighth-inning role for us."
Walden will look to adjust to the new environment quickly and start making preparations for the upcoming season.
It will be interesting to see how he brings a change in performance of the team next year.
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