Atlanta Braves: Opening Day Roster Beginning to Take Shape

With early spring injuries to pitchers Mike Foltynewicz and Kevin Gausman, the only likely sure things for the starting rotation were Teheran, Sean Newcomb, and a combination of top prospects who all got experience with the big club last season.

This group, including Kyle Wright, Touki Toussaint, Max Fried, Bryse Wilson, and Kolby Allard, got plenty of action this spring as it became evident that the Atlanta Braves would begin the season short-handed in the rotation.

Wright was strong for much of the spring before struggling in his previous start, and Fried was a model of consistency as he heads into his final start of the spring tonight at SunTrust Park.  The announcement that these two youngsters would start the season in Atlanta was no real shocker.

The biggest surprise, in my mind, was the news that Wilson made the cut over Toussaint and that he would start Game 2 of the young season.

Toussaint struggled for much of the spring, but given his tools and the fact that he was on the 2018 postseason roster, many had him penciled in as a near-certainty to make the club.  In a flurry of transactions over the weekend, however, Toussaint was one of several players optioned back to the minor leagues.

Like Fried, Wilson was consistently strong throughout camp and was certainly deserving of the honor.  In a radio interview last week, Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos was emphatic that pitchers who had stuff and who were throwing strikes would pitch in big games this year.  With only 2 walks, 13 strikeouts, and an ERA of 3.29 over 13+ innings this spring, it seems evident that Anthopoulos was specifically targeting the anticipated move of taking Wilson over Toussaint with the team as they head north.

In addition to the moves to solidify the starting rotation, a number of transactions were made to help clear the muddy waters of the Braves’ unsettled bench and bullpen situations.

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In exchange for cash considerations, the Atlanta Braves made a trade with the San Francisco Giants to acquire journeyman outfielder Matt Joyce.  Now with his sixth major league club, the 34-year-old left-handed Joyce spent the past two seasons in Oakland.  In 2017, Joyce appeared in 141 games and hit a respectable .243/.335/.473 with 25 HR and 68 RBI in 544 plate appearances.  His production waned last year as he appeared in only 83 games for the A’s, but he could prove to be a legitimate power threat as a left-handed bat off the bench while sharing 4th outfielder duties with Charlie Culberson.

To make room for Joyce, the Braves optioned OF Adam Duvall to Gwinnett in a move anticipated by many if Atlanta was able to acquire another OF bench piece.  Catcher Raffy Lopez was also optioned, leaving a likely final bench of Culberson, Joyce, Johan Camargo, and either Brian McCann or Tyler Flowers (whoever is not starting on a particular day).

In bullpen news, LHP Sam Freeman was sent outright to Gwinnett along with Dan Winkler, who was optioned.  Assuming an 8-man bullpen, and knowing that relievers Darren O’Day and A.J. Minter will not be ready by opening day, that leaves a likely bullpen of:

• Jesse Biddle
• Jonny Venters
• Josh Tomlin (long relief)
• Wes Parsons
• Shane Carle
• Chad Sobotka
• Arodys Vizcaino (closer)
• Luke Jackson

The only real surprise here would be Jackson over Winkler, but considering the performance of both this spring and number of options that were left for each, this move makes sense from a roster management perspective.

The real fun will come when Foltynewicz, Minter, and O’Day are ready to return.  Gausman is projected to return and start Game 7, and I’d imagine he will take Jackson’s roster spot.  Otherwise, get ready for the return of the shuttle from Gwinnett to Cobb that was prevalent in the second half of last season, and don’t be shocked if some of these young starters see high-leverage situations from the bullpen either.