NORTH PORT, Fla. – Braves manager Brian Snitker likes what he’s seen from his rotation candidates.
Ian Anderson, after issuing three walks over 1-2/3 innings in his spring debut, was better in his second outing. He pitched three scoreless innings (28 pitches) and while he walked two, his velocity (hovering around 94 mph) and general performance were encouraging.
Grant Holmes has been excellent, allowing one run over five innings this spring. After persisting through a decade in the minors, he had a 3.56 ERA in 26 games (seven starts) last season and has established himself as a key part of the staff.
Holmes is invaluable as a starter or reliever capable of covering bulk innings. He could open the season in the rotation, but the team could also go a different direction and move him to the bullpen. That would likewise be an option upon Spencer Strider’s return.
AJ Smith-Shawver, meanwhile, possesses more upside than any other candidate. Perhaps Smith-Shawver, 22, begins the season in the minors, but he could earn opportunities quickly if his progression continues accordingly. He dazzled in his spring debut, showing the sometimes-overpowering stuff that’s made him an celebrated prospect.
Bryce Elder, a 2023 All-Star, is on the peripheral of the conversation but nonetheless provides the Braves major-league-caliber depth. He allowed two runs on five hits and walked one in his first exhibition outing, which Snitker said, “wasn’t real sharp, but it was OK.”
It’s to-be-decided how the Braves will handle their rotation beyond Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez and Spencer Schwellenbach, but they aren’t lacking quality choices.
“They’re all throwing the ball really well, which is a good thing,” Snitker said. “We still have a few weeks to go and anything can happen. So I’m keeping an open mind, really. Just going to watch all of them. One of those situations where, with performance, they’ll tell us where they are.”
The Braves have nearly 340 innings to replace after seeing Max Fried and Charlie Morton depart their rotation in free agency. Part of the calculus in letting veterans walk, though, is giving opportunities to some of your up-and-coming talent and more cost-efficient options.
“I think it’s a reflection of their confidence and their ability to value talent and to develop,” Morton, now with the Orioles, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution of the team letting several veterans go this winter.
Other notes from Braves camp:
- Infielder Nacho Alvarez left the game two days ago with left-wrist discomfort, but he’s feeling OK. Alvarez expects to return to the lineup in the next few days, he said.
It’ll be an interesting campaign for the prospect, who struggled during his first major-league stint a season ago. The Braves have an opening for a backup infielder, but Alvarez wouldn’t be a logical choice. He needs consistent playing time for development’s sake.
If Alvarez performs as he hopes, perhaps a door will open for him – either with the Braves, most likely due to an injury in a stacked infield, or for another franchise. Alvarez could be among the Braves’ better trade chips as there isn’t a clear avenue to a regular role here given the club’s infield construction.
- Utilityman Eli White, who appeared in 35 games a year ago, has been getting infield reps as he tries to strengthen his bid to make the opening-day roster. White is a career .191 hitter over five seasons, but his versatility and speed provide value at the end of a roster.
“We’re moving him around and seeing what it looks like in the infield because with the way he can run, he’d had some experience there,” Snitker said. “Just tapping into that and seeing what it looks like. He had some tough plays the other day, but his athleticism – you watch him when we do our infield drills, he looks the part. He has good skills and game-changing speed.”
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