Ex-Mets, Phillies reliever traded to his sixth team in three years

It’s time to add Rockies reliever Brad Hand, 33, to your list of go-to Immaculate Grid guesses.

On Tuesday, the Atlanta Braves acquired the former Mets and Phillies pitcher from Colorado for minor leaguer Alec Barger. It’s the ninth team he’s played for in his 13-year career and sixth in the last three seasons.

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The left-handed pitcher was having a down year for the Rockies before being traded to the Braves. In 40 appearances, he struck out 41 batters and posted a 4.54 ERA over 35 2/3 innings pitched. That’s a big jump from his season with the Phillies last year, where Hand put up a 2.80 ERA over 55 appearances.

In 2021, the Mets added Hand in an attempt to make a miracle playoff push. Earlier that season, Hand was a popular trade target in July when he was with the Washington Nationals. The veteran lefty ended up going to the Blue Jays in a deal, but his tenure north of the border proved to be a disaster.

In 11 games with the Blue Jays, Hand posted a 7.27 ERA — a far cry from the 3.59 ERA he had with the Nationals to start the season. With Toronto still on the edge of the playoff race in the AL, the Blue Jays opted to cut their losses with Hand when they designated him for assignment in early September, giving the Mets the chance to swoop him up.

In 16 games with the Mets, Hand had a 2.70 ERA, striking out 14 batters over 13 1/3 innings.

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Hand started his career with the Miami Marlins. With his move to Atlanta, Hand will officially have played for every NL East team, alá Thanos completing the Infinity Gauntlet. Like the Marvel comics, the Braves are hoping he can shut down a lineup with a snap of the finger.

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Manuel Gomez may be reached at mgomez@njadvancemedia.com.