Braves acquire OF Lane Thomas from the Royals

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves acquired outfielder Lane Thomas and minor league left-hander Bailey Falter from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for two minor league pitchers on Saturday.

Thomas, 30, is slashing .230/.325/.392 in 96 games with the Royals this year. He has played mostly center field in Kansas City, but will move over to left field in Atlanta and likely platoon with Mike Yastrzemski. Thomas is a career .288 hitter against left-handed pitching.

“The plan is not the exact same role he had in Kansas City, where he was playing every day in center,” Braves President of Baseball Operations Alex Anthopoulos said. “His strength is hitting left-handers. Great in the clubhouse, and just excited to add him and make our team stronger.”

Thomas’ best season came in 2023 with Washington when he had 28 home runs and 86 RBIs. He will join the Braves on Tuesday for the first of a three-game series against Miami.

Falter will report to Triple-A Gwinnett, according to Anthopoulos. He has spent the majority of this season with Triple-A Omaha, pitching just 9 2/3 innings with the Royals.

The Braves sent RHP Lucas Braun and LHP Carter Holton to the Royals. Braun was a 2023 sixth-round draft pick by the Braves and reached Triple-A Gwinnett, where he was 5-2 with a 3.92 ERA this season. Holton was a 2024 second-rounder who made six starts for Single-A Augusta this season.

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