San Diego. Los Atlanta Braves traded for Puerto Rican reliever Joe Jimenez on Wednesday night, sending two minor leaguers to Detroit to help restock a bullpen before the departure of Kenley Jansen.
The Tigers acquired outfielder Justyn-Henry Malloy and lefty Jake Higginbotham.
The trade at the winter meetings came after Jansen, who led the NL with 41 saves last season, left the NL East champion Braves for a $32 million, two-year contract. years with the Boston Red Sox.
Jimenez, who turns 28 next month, went 3-2 with two saves and a 3.49 ERA in 62 games with the Tigers last season., striking out 77 in 56.2 innings. The right-hander has spent all six of his Major League Baseball (MLB) seasons with Detroit and was an All-Star in 2018.
Malloy, 22, hit a combined .289 average with 17 home runs and 81 RBIs in three minor levels last season.
Higginbotham, 26, was 2-5 with a 4.73 ERA in 48 relief appearances at Double-A Mississippi.
