Another calm week without much action for the Philadelphia Phillies has occurred. This winter, a former Phillies player has found a new home, this time with the Atlanta Braves.
Ken Giles, a seasoned right-handed reliever, was signed to a minor league contract by the Braves, the 2023 NL East winners, on Friday. If he chooses to stay with the team in the majors, he will have a $1.75 million salary, and he will be invited to spring training camp.
Giles was previously selected by the Phillies in the seventh round of the 2011 MLB Draft. He joined the major league team and played for two seasons, making his ballclub debut as a rookie in 2014. Giles had an amazing season that year, finishing with a strong 3-1 record, 13 holds, 1 save, and an incredible 1.18 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, and 64 strikeouts in just 45 and a half innings worked. More astonishingly, he only allowed runs in five of his 44 games played and placed fourth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting.
In 2015, after pitching for the Phillies for 70 innings with a 1.80 ERA and 15 saves, Giles was dealt to the Houston Astros, where he now serves as their closer. Despite having inconsistent success with the Astros, he was a major contributor to the team’s first-ever World Series triumph in 2017 thanks to an outstanding season in which he saved 34 games and had a 2.30 ERA.
Later on, Giles would have stints with the Toronto Blue Jays and, most recently, the organisations of the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and Seattle Mariners. His once-promising career has been ruined by injury problems in 2020 that necessitated Tommy John surgery and severe battles to regain his form.
Giles will be at his peak to fully capitalise on the chance to get his career back on track. He looks to be fully recovered after giving teams a bullpen presentation. What better way to complete his elusive MLB comeback than to sign with the Braves, who are always in the running for the postseason?
The Phillies will undoubtedly have their hands full when they play their division rivals in 2024 if he can regain his dominant form and secure a position on the Opening Day roster. The Phillies may come to regret not taking a chance on their former standout in the bullpen.
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