The Rafael Montero trade looked like a pure cleanup move for the Braves at the time, a chance to move on from a reliever they had tried and failed to fix. Atlanta had brought Montero in from the Astros hoping to get him back on track as a bullpen piece, but that never happened, and the Braves wound up cutting their losses and finding a taker in the Tigers.
What makes the deal look even better now is what happened after Montero left. He gave Detroit a decent stretch, posting a 2.86 ERA in 20 appearances, but the warning signs were there in the form of a 4.50 FIP and 14 walks in 22 innings. Since then, he has been at Triple-A with the Yankees and has not pitched in the majors at all in 2026.
The real prize from that trade, though, was infielder Jim Jarvis. Against the odds, he has turned into a Braves fan favorite and an answer to their shortstop problem right now.
Jarvis has forced his way into the conversation with a run that has grabbed Atlanta’s attention, even if it comes with the usual warning label attached to hot streaks. He has never hit the ball this hard this often in the minors, which is exactly why there’s reason to wonder whether this level of production can hold.
But there were signs that his bat was trending up at Triple-A, where he was in the middle of the best offensive season of his career at Gwinnett with an .868 OPS. He also brought the speed and arm he has always had.
The production itself has been eye-catching, but it is not built on some impossible line. Jarvis is hitting .291/.333/.458, and while that number is strong, it does not scream unsustainable on its face. He has also come through in some big moments, which has only made the impression stronger.
For a trade that was supposed to be about getting Montero off the roster as cleanly as possible, the Braves ended up with a useful player in return. Landing Jarvis at all was a surprise. Landing a player who now feels tough to remove from the lineup once Ha-Seong Kim is activated from the IL is something else entirely.
In Other News...
Falcons Just Ran Into A Costly Divine Deablo Problem
The Falcons have already locked up Drake London and Kyle Pitts on long-term deals, but the next round of contract business is getting trickier. With Bijan Robinson and Divine Deablo still waiting for extensions, Atlanta is staring at a linebacker market that keeps moving, and the latest ripple came from Miami, where Jordyn Brooks reset the price for players at the position.
For Deablo, the timing matters as much as the market. He is entering a contract year and is expected to step into a bigger leadership role for Atlanta, which gives the Falcons a reason to keep him in the fold but also forces them to weigh how much that new responsibility should cost. The team has room to maneuver financially, yet the longer this drags on, the more leverage Deablo could gain before Atlanta decides whether to make a move. [Read more 🡒]
Schefter Just Dropped A Huge Hint About Atlanta's QB Battle
The Falcons quarterback picture has been one of the more closely watched storylines of the offseason, with Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa both in the conversation as the team works through its plans under center. Adam Schefter added another layer to that discussion on his podcast, pointing to the kinds of signals front offices and coaches tend to send when they are leaning one direction, even if the competition is still technically alive.
Penixs recovery remains part of the backdrop, which is why this race has not fully settled into a simple answer yet. Still, the current read around Atlanta is that Tagovailoa has the edge, and the next stretch of the offseason will go a long way toward showing whether the Falcons are truly keeping the door open or already moving toward a more obvious pecking order. [Read more 🡒]
These Falcons Could Finally Get The Recognition Fans Have Wanted
The Falcons head into the 2026 season with more than just an eight-year playoff drought hanging over them. They also have a roster full of players who could finally start getting the kind of league-wide recognition Atlanta fans have been waiting on, from established names like A.J. Terrell and Drake London to younger pieces such as Xavier Watts and Jalon Walker. For a team trying to move from promising to proven, individual honors often become a sign that the broader rebuild is starting to stick.
A.J. Terrell already has the rsum of a top corner, while Divine Deablos impact has shown up when hes been on the field and Watts made a strong first impression as a rookie. Jalon Walker, meanwhile, flashed enough pass-rush production to look like a player whose profile could rise quickly if he stays on track. If the Falcons are going to get back into the postseason conversation, a few first-time Pro Bowl nods would be a good place to start, even if the final step still has to be earned on Sundays. [Read more 🡒]