Jorge Soler has long been recognized for his offensive power, but this year his performance has been underwhelming. He has managed only six home runs, with a .215 batting average and a .684 OPS, along with a brief stint on the injured list.
These stats are a far cry from his peak performance with the Royals in 2019, when he hit .265 with an impressive 48 home runs and a .922 OPS. Numerous injuries over the years have greatly hindered Soler’s productivity.
Soler had a brief stint with the Braves in 2021, joining them from the Kansas City Royals before the trade deadline. The Braves traded pitching prospect Kasey Kalich for Soler, who was batting just .192 with 13 home runs in 308 at-bats at the time.
After joining the Braves, Soler improved, hitting .269 with 14 home runs in 208 at-bats. This trade turned out to be highly favorable for the Braves. However, it was not his short regular-season performance with Atlanta that cemented his place in Braves history.
After struggling through the NLDS, Soler came up big in the World Series. He led off the World Series with a home run and ended up hitting .300 with three home runs. He added a second World Series ring to his collection after earning his first with the curse-snapping 2016 Chicago Cubs.
In addition to the ring, Soler also won the World Series MVP award. After the 2021 season, Soler landed with the Marlins and spent two years there. He earned an All-Star appearance in 2023 and hit 36 home runs which was the second most in his career.
This poor performance could land him on the radar of contending teams if the Giants fall out of the playoff race. They are currently the second NL wild card behind the Braves who occupy the first NL wild card.
The 32-year-old Soler might be having a bit of a dry spell as of late, but this can prove to be just a temporary slump. Soler has had numerous down years and dry spells but seems to overcome them when he is healthy. He will always have the respect of Atlanta Braves fans as he provided one of the best playoff performances baseball fans could hope for.
