The Braves introduced a sequence of roster strikes at this time, signing infielder Joey Wendle and recalling left-hander Ray Kerr. In corresponding strikes, infielder Luke Williams was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett whereas right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver was positioned on the 15-day injured listing with a strained left indirect. The membership already had a 40-man emptiness for Wendle. Kerr will begin tonight’s sport for Atlanta.
Wendle, 34, is a veteran utility participant who signed with the Mets within the offseason, a one-year cope with a $2MM assure. He was saved in a restricted position, solely moving into 18 video games throughout his roughly six weeks on the Mets, stepping to the plate 37 instances in that stretch. He hit simply .222/.243/.250, a continuation of his tough 2023 with the Marlins, as he hit simply .212/.248/.306 final 12 months.
The Mets launched him earlier this week and are on the hook for the rest of Wendle’s wage. Atlanta will solely be chargeable for the prorated league minimal for so long as Wendle is on their roster, with that quantity subtracted from what the Mets pay.
Atlanta has been rotating numerous gamers by their bench infielder position this 12 months, with every of David Fletcher, Luis Guillorme, Zack Quick and Williams getting a search for that job. Quick remains to be on the roster and has been the membership’s common third baseman recently with Austin Riley battling an an intercostal pressure.
By bumping Williams all the way down to Gwinnett and including Wendle, the membership provides a bit extra infield depth at primarily no price, provided that the Mets are overlaying the majority of the cash and that Atlanta had an open roster spot to make use of anyway. Wendle hasn’t been hitting a lot recently however has loads of expertise on the three infield spots to the left of first base, in addition to temporary stints within the outfield corners. He has typically obtained sturdy grades wherever he has performed and may give Atlanta some glove-first depth everywhere in the diamond, whereas Williams can get extra common enjoying time on the farm.
On the pitching aspect of issues, Atlanta bought thrown off their plans a bit on the weekend. Saturday’s sport in opposition to the Padres was rained out and pushed to a Monday double-header. In Sunday’s sport, Bryce Elder was torched for six earned runs in three innings, forcing Kerr to come back in and throw 3 1/3 innings of reduction, adopted by two different pitchers after which Williams mopping up a body.
Elder was optioned previous to the double-header in order that the membership might herald two recent arms, one in every of them being the “twenty seventh man” for Monday. That allowed Atlanta to deliver up each Darius Vines and Daysbel Hernández. Over the 2 video games, 5 totally different relievers have been used, leaving the bullpen pretty taxed. Kerr was optioned to get the roster again all the way down to 26. Due to the double-header, every of Chris Sale, Reynaldo López, Charlie Morton and Max Fried began in a span of three days from Monday to Wednesday. With Elder having been optioned, they needed to recall Smith-Shawver to start out yesterday’s sport and now Kerr will take the ball at this time in what’s prone to be a bullpen sport. Pitchers usually have to attend 15 days after being optioned earlier than they are often recalled, however an exception is made when another person goes on the IL.
Atlanta has seemingly been stretching out Kerr of late, both by design or necessity or each. His 4 appearances for the massive league membership this 12 months have gone one inning, two innings, three innings after which three and a 3rd. General, he has a 2.89 earned run common in 9 1/3 innings, placing out 27% of opponents with out issuing a stroll.
That’s a small pattern dimension however maybe intriguing sufficient for Atlanta to experience the recent hand for some time. Smith-Shawver goes to overlook at the very least 15 days with this harm and Spencer Strider is out for the 12 months. Elder was simply optioned after posting a 6.46 ERA in 5 begins this 12 months. Huascar Ynoa and Ian Anderson are injured within the minors. Allan Winans and Dylan Dodd every have a 4.50 ERA in Triple-A this 12 months however with uninspiring peripherals.
Kerr was a starter within the minors again earlier than the pandemic however has been saved in reduction since then. His numbers as a reliever definitely catch the attention, as he has punched out 27.9% of batters confronted within the majors, between his time with San Diego and Atlanta. In 134 minor league innings from 2021 to the current, he has a 3.69 ERA, 33.4% strikeout fee however 12.9% stroll fee. Maybe Atlanta can manufacture one other reliever-to-starter success story as they’ve finished with López this 12 months, or maybe it will simply be a spot begin for Kerr, which can depend on how he seems in opposition to the Pirates at this time.
