Justin Upton Traded to Braves, Joins Brother B.J. in Atlanta

Justin Upton has been traded to the Atlanta Braves along with third baseman Chris Johnson in exchange for Martin Prado, pitcher Randall Delgado, and minor leaguers Nick Ahmed and Zeke Spruill. The only formality left in completing the deal was Upton passing a physical, but according to Jon Heyman it is now official. Completing such a deal means Justin will be patrolling the outfield alongside his brother B.J., forming a modern day version of storied bros, Jose and Ozzie Canseco, though that’s not very fair to B.J., who’s a damn good player in his own right. Here’s Upton’s reaction to the trade:

“Bittersweet day for me. So happy to get the chance to play with my brother in Atlanta but will miss the city and fans here in Phoenix.”

He’s still just 25-years-old, but last season Upton’s home run total was basically cut in half and his OPS dipped from .898 in 2011 to .785 in 2012. One member of the Braves has already been quoted as saying that losing Prado is “a bad move.” Then again, Jason Heyward’s reaction was “Christmas in January.” Everyone’s happy, everyone’s sad. Though having said that, as of right now this trade is officially, or perhaps unofficially, impossible to assess.

[via CBS Sports]