The Angels acquire Braves slugger Jorge Soler for RHP Griffin Canning

The Atlanta Braves traded outfielder Jorge Soler to the Los Angeles Angels for right-hander Griffin Canning on Thursday, opening the hot season with a deal that sends a power hitter to Los Angeles and adds pitching depth to Atlanta's rotation , the teams announced.

This is the second time Soler has been traded in the last three months. After signing a three-year, $42 million free agent contract with San Francisco last winter, the Giants sent him to Atlanta, where he won a championship in 2021.

Soler, whose mammoth home run in Game 6 of the '21 World Series remains a hallmark for the Braves team, hit .241/.338/.442 with 21 homers and 64 RBIs in 142 games last season. He is owed $32 million for the final two years of his contract.

“I was working out and got a call from the GM telling me I was being traded,” Soler said through an interpreter. “It’s amazing how quickly everything happened, but I’m grateful to the Angels for giving me the opportunity.”

Canning, 28, is a former second-round pick who made his debut in 2019, less than two years after being drafted. He started 31 games for the Angels last season and posted a 5.19 ERA over 171⅔ innings with 130 walks allowed, 66 strikeouts and 31 home runs allowed. He will hit free agency after the 2025 season.

Left-hander Max Fried and right-hander Charlie Morton, both regulars in the Braves rotation, are free agents this winter. Teams can sign free agents now through Monday at 5 p.m. ET, when the sport's quiet period ends and unrestricted free agency begins.

Teams must also make qualifying offers to players by the 5:00 p.m. deadline. Fried, one of the top free agents on the market, is expected to receive one.

The deal adds Soler to a lineup that features a number of promising young players, including catcher Logan O'Hoppe, shortstop Zach Neto and first baseman Nolan Schanuel. Soler will likely serve as the Angels' designated hitter, with Mike Trout, Taylor Ward, Jo Adell and Mickey Moniak handling most of the outfield offense. Los Angeles finished last in the American League West last season at 63-99.

“It's someone who can change a game with one shot,” Angels general manager Perry Minasian said. “Can play in the outfield if you need him. Great person, top clubhouse guy, someone our manager is familiar with. I just felt like it was a really clean fit, a really good fit for us and someone who could help change our lineup.”

The Braves, who were defeated by San Diego in the wild-card round during an injury-riddled season, continue to count on National League Cy Young winner Chris Sale, veteran Reynaldo Lopez and rookie standout Spencer Rumpfenbach in their rotation. The transfer of Soler's money allows the Braves, usually active early in the offseason, to target free agents or other acquisitions via trade, something they did last year by acquiring Sale from Boston.

Minasian said that although the Angels added a significant amount of payroll by acquiring Soler, he expects to be aggressive in free agency after Los Angeles collapsed in the first year without Shohei Ohtani.

“That’s step No. 1,” he said. “We assume that there will be further changes. I expect this club to improve in many different areas.”

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.