The Atlanta Braves yesterday had a split-squad game with half the roster playing the Boston Red Sox and they tied 3-3 while the other half played the Baltimore Orioles and they lost 8-2. Today the Braves take on the Tampa Bay Rays and will have Max Fried on the mound making his third start, he is 0-0 with a 7.20 ERA, a 1.60 WHIP, and four strikeouts in five innings. Before today’s game, they made some moves that solidified their rotation in the 2024 season, as they optioned two RHPs to Triple-A Gwinnett making the rotation Spencer Strider, Max Fried, Charlie Morton, Chris Sale, and Reynaldo Lopez who they signed this offseason.
- RHP Bryce Elder optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett
- RHP Huascar Ynoa optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett
Braves Roster Moves By The Numbers
RHP – Bryce Elder
Elder this spring made four starts going 2-1 with an 8.25 ERA, a 1.75 WHIP, and 13 strikeouts in 12 innings. His last start came last Wednesday against Baltimore and he went 4.1 innings giving up five runs on five hits; he walked three and struck out three. Last season Elder made 31 starts going 12-4 with a 3.81 ERA, a 1.28 WHIP, and 128 strikeouts in 174.2 innings. The addition of Sale and the tough spring Elder had just forced the Braves hands to send him to Triple-A, hopefully, he can figure things out and make his way back.
RHP – Huascar Ynoa
Ynoa made one appearance this spring posting a 0.00 ERA, a 2.00 WHIP, and one strikeout in one inning. That game was on Saturday against the Pirates. Ynoa was working his way from a Tommy John surgery which he had in 2022. In 2022 he made two starts for Atlanta going 0-2 with a 13.50 ERA, a 2.55 WHIP, and eight strikeouts in 6.2 innings.
RHP – Reynaldo Lopez
Lopez this spring has made five appearances with three coming as starts going 1-1 with a 2.16 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP, and 13 strikeouts in 16.2 innings. He pitched yesterday against the Red Sox going five innings giving up two runs on four hits; he walked one and struck out four. The Braves saw all they needed to see from that start to give Lopez the nod. Last season, he worked out of the bullpen for the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels, and Cleveland Guardians making 68 appearances going 3-7 with a 3.27 ERA, a 1.27 WHIP, and 83 strikeouts in 66 innings.
