PORT ST. LUCIE — The Braves trimmed the spring-training roster by five Thursday when they optioned right-handed relievers Luis Vasquez and Juan Jaime, catching prospect Christian Bethancourt and outfielder Todd Cunningham to Triple-A Gwinnett, and optioned shortstop Elmer Reyes to Double-A Mississippi.
Vasquez was considered a strong candidate for a bullpen spot after the Braves signed him as a minor league free agent during his impressive winter-ball season in the Dominican Republic. But he got off to a late start because of visa issues and a strained lat muscle, and his command wasn’t sharp when he began pitching in Grapefruit League games.
The sidearmer allowed just two hits in 3-2/3 innings over four appearances, but had six walks with two strikeouts, including two walks and two runs (one earned) in the seventh inning Wednesday against the Yankees.
Jaime was charged with two runs and four walks while recording just one out in the ninth inning Wednesday. He allowed just one hit in 5-1/3 innings over six appearances, but the hard-throwing right-hander had seven walks to go with five strikeouts..
“Too late in camp to be walking people,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said after Wednesday’s game. “You can live with that early in camp, when some of these guys haven’t pitched. But some of these guys now have eight, nine, 10 appearances. You can’t be doing that.
“You want to see a lot of consistency coming out of that bullpen. We didn’t do that today.”
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