The Braves officially reinstated Kyle Wright from his rehab assignment Tuesday morning. Wright was schedule to start against the Reds that evening in his season debut. The team optioned lefty Dylan Dodd to Triple-A Gwinnett to open a roster spot.
Wright, 27, was behind this spring after receiving a cortisone injection in his right shoulder in January. He made one start for Gwinnett before returning to the Braves, bolstering a rotation that’s missed him and ace starter Max Fried (hamstring strain).
After a few seasons of mostly poor results – Wright had a 6.56 ERA in 21 career games entering 2022 – Wright broke out last season. He was MLB’s only 20-game winner, going 21-5 with a 3.19 ERA. He struck out 174 in 180-1/3 innings.
“We have a guy who won 21 games for us last year, so I’m excited,” manager Brian Snitker said. “I’m real excited, actually. It’ll be good to get him back in the mix. I’m sure he’s excited to get out there. In that quest to make us whole again, that’s a small step forward getting him back, which is really good.”
Dodd, meanwhile, had a tremendous spring that earned him a major-league opportunity. He excelled in his first outing, allowing one run over five innings during a win over the Cardinals in St. Louis. His second start had more growing pains: The Padres dismantled him, scoring seven runs off 10 hits in 4-1/3 innings. Dodd’s strike-throwing propensity, an approach that’s helped him reach this point, doomed him as his pitches weren’t nearly as crisp as his first appearance.
The first two starts were good learning experiences for Dodd, who will continue playing a role for the Braves over the lengthy major-league season.
Soroka makes another start
Michael Soroka, whose once-promising career has been stalled by multiple injuries – he’s undergone three Achilles surgeries since last pitching in MLB – made his second start for Gwinnett on Tuesday, pitching four solid innings. This season, he’s allowed two runs on seven hits over 7-2/3 frames. He’s struck out eight and walked two.
“I just pulled it up and look at (the stats); I haven’t talked with (president of baseball operations) Alex (Anthopoulos) yet, he was there,” Snitker said. “The numbers look good. It looks like he’s doing really well.”
Soroka is still building himself back, a process that requires patience and caution, but he could provide reinforcements at some point as well.
“Obviously, the big goal is to get back up there (to the Braves) and help that team,” Soroka said 10 days ago.
Fried update
Left-hander Max Fried, sidelined with a hamstring injury, threw off the mound and did some fielding drills Tuesday. “He threw well, so we’ll see how he is tomorrow when he shows up, but that was a good step forward I think,” Snitker said. Fried is eligible to return from the injured list Saturday, but the Braves haven’t pinpointed a return date.
D’Arnaud update
Catcher Travis d’Arnaud has been sidelined with a concussion, a matter that requires extra caution, especially given d’Arnaud experienced three concussions earlier in his career. Snitker said there has been encouraging progress.
“He’s getting a little better, feels a little better, but it’s still - I think they were going to amp up his activity a little bit (Tuesday),” Snitker said. “I don’t know that they have. But I always ask (trainer) George (Poulis) in the evenings and he said it’s getting a little better, so that’s good.”
Trouble in scoring position
The Braves eked out a win Monday, but their problems with runners at second and third persisted. During their three-game skid over the weekend, they were 3-for-26 with runners in scoring position. They went 2-for-12 in that department Monday, making them 3-for-24 with runners in scoring position over their past two games. Still, they overcame a blown lead late to top the Reds on catcher Sean Murphy’s walk-off homer in the 10th — his first home run with the Braves.
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