South Gwinnett News

John Smoltz's 1987 acquisition by the Braves as a minor league prospect is still widely regarded as the finest trade in the team's history, according to a report on the team's official website.

The Atlanta Braves acquired the double-A pitcher in exchange for their experienced right-hander Doyle Alexander, who went on to play for the Detroit Tigers.

Alexander had a 1.53 earned run average (ERA) during his time with the Tigers, and the team secured a win in each of the 11 games he started.

However, Smoltz quickly distinguished himself as a vital component for the Braves after being acquired in the trade.

"While Detroit gained an American League East title from the deal, Atlanta gained a Hall of Fame pitcher, who produced the seventh-highest Baseball-Reference WAR (69.6) in franchise history," the team said on its website.

During his tenure with the team, Smoltz earned the 1996 National League Cy Young Award, was chosen to eight All-Star games and holds the record as the only player to be the 40-man roster for the entire period in which Atlanta won 14 consecutive division championships, according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame website.

“My legacy will be however someone wants to view it,” Smoltz stated on the National Baseball Hall of Fame website. “Certainly I’m proud of it. I don’t even know if I have a word for it. I mean, I literally gave everything I had every single time I went out there.”

Smoltz retired after 21 years in the majors with a 213-155 record, 154 saves, 3,084 strikeouts and a 3.33 ERA.

He also won at least 14 games 10 times, twice leading the National League in victories (1996 and 2006), innings pitched (1996 and 1997) and strikeouts (1992 and 1996).

Smoltz was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015 after concluding his career with the Red Sox and Cardinals in 2009.