Braves Surprisingly Trade World Series Champ Pitcher Before MLB Opening Day

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The Atlanta Braves are moving on from pitcher Ian Anderson.

The group of Atlanta Braves pitchers will look a lot different when MLB Opening Day rolls around. Atlanta continued this trend by striking a trade with the Los Angeles Angels just days before the season starts.

The Braves traded 26-year-old pitcher Ian Anderson to the Angels for left hander José Suarez. Anderson had a promising start to his career, including being part of the team’s 2021 World Series run. Yet, injuries derailed Anderson in recent years, and it remains to be seen if the right hander can regain his prior form.

Anderson has not pitched in the Majors since 2022 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023. The former starting pitcher holds a 22-13 record during his four-year tenure with the Braves.

Not surprised that Ian Anderson was traded, but I wish it would’ve worked out better with the Braves. World Series champ forever, can’t take that away.

Bright side: he’s still young (turns 27 in May) and gets a fresh start with the Angels. Wish him well!

The move signals the end of an era as the Braves selected Anderson with the No. 3 overall pick in the first round of the 2016 MLB draft. Suarez is projected to compete to carve out a role in the Braves bullpen this season.

“Before he got hurt, he was an up-and-coming, pretty good pitcher,” Angels manager Ron Washington said of Anderson following the trade, per MLB.com. “I don’t think he lost the ability to pitch.

“We were left-handed-heavy in our bullpen, and this gives us an opportunity to get a right-hander in there. Although Ian Anderson is a starter, I think he’ll certainly help us out of the bullpen. Just trying to get ourselves better as we move forward to Opening Day.”

The Braves Are Getting a ‘Bulldog’ in Trading for Pitcher José Suarez

Former Braves ace Max Fried signed with the New York Yankees this offseason. Veteran Charlie Morton also left Atlanta signing with the Baltimore Orioles.

The Braves starting pitching rotation and bullpen will look a lot different in 2025. Suarez does not come with same pedigree of Anderson, but Washington also spoke highly of the former Angels pitcher.

“The Braves are getting a bulldog,” Washington said of Suarez. “We’re going to miss Suarez. I’m not taking anything from Suarez, saying that ‘he was no good for us, that’s why we traded him.’

“We do what we do to make us better, and he just happened to be the guy that we made a trade for him. Atlanta probably needed him, and we felt like we needed Ian Anderson.”

The Angels Plan to Begin Utilizing Ex-Braves Pitcher Ian Anderson in the Bullpen

As for Anderson, the Angels skipper noted that the team plans to start out the pitcher in relief duty. Washington has familiarity with Anderson during their time together in Atlanta.

“Everyone, Ian Anderson included, would’ve loved a different outcome this Spring,” 92.9 The Game Atlanta’s Grant McAuley remarked in a March 23, 2025, message on X. “It took 2 years to have a chance to get back into the mix but he wasn’t able to show the Braves enough to stick in their plans.

“He had some incredible moments early on. Hope he finds success again.”

The Braves hit the road to face the San Diego Padres on Thursday, March 27 for MLB Opening Day.

Jonathan Adams is a veteran sports contributor covering the NFL, NBA and golf for Heavy.com. His work has been prominently featured on NFL.com, Yahoo Sports, Pro Football Talk, CBS Sports, Bleacher Report and Sports Illustrated. More about Jonathan Adams