ATLANTA — Earlier than making my first Opening Day roster predictions, let me remind you some current pre-Spring Coaching battles pitted Johan Camargo towards Austin Riley for the third-base job and Vaughn Grissom towards Orlando Arcia for the shortstop job.
OK, you possibly can argue you knew Riley and Arcia have been the far superior candidates. However did you anticipate the accidents that allowed Dylan Dodd to leapfrog each Ian Anderson and Kyle Wright and achieve an surprising Opening Day roster spot final 12 months?
Even with none clear place battles, it appears sensible to count on some intrigue about some preliminary roster spots. You simply by no means know what to anticipate throughout Spring Coaching. Many a long time from now, historians who surprise how John Burkett ended up with an Opening Day begin throughout the Maddux-Glavine-Smoltz period will discover that Greg Maddux cracked a toenail throughout his remaining spring begin in 2001.
One thing loopy is certain to occur.
I’ll present some up to date Opening Day roster projections over the subsequent few weeks. However that is what I’m considering earlier than Spring Coaching presents us one other a kind of inevitable roster-altering developments.
d’Arnaud was an All-Star in 2022, and Murphy gained this similar honor final summer season. Having the chance to offer each of those gifted veterans practically equal time ought to assist each higher deal with the Atlanta warmth.
Olson hit a franchise-record 54 homers and set a contemporary franchise report with 139 RBIs final 12 months. He has been the Braves’ beginning first baseman in each sport performed the previous two seasons. Marcell Ozuna is able to enjoying first if wanted.
Albies hit a career-high 33 homers after present process arthroscopic proper shoulder surgical procedure following the 2022 season. When wholesome, he has been one of many sport’s most efficient center infielders over the previous six seasons.
There gained’t be any cause to surprise who would be the beginning shortstop, except the Braves commerce for Willy Adames. Simply kidding. I needed to be sure to have been nonetheless studying.
Riley is ready to be Atlanta’s third baseman into the subsequent decade. The one query is, what number of MVP Awards would possibly he win inside this span?
If Kelenic begins to reside as much as his nice potential, this could possibly be the sport’s greatest outfield for a few years to come back. Acuña’s bid to prime final 12 months’s 40-70 season can be considered one of this 12 months’s prime storylines.
Ozuna silenced his doubters throughout final 12 months’s 40-homer season. The veteran slugger will attempt to discover that very same groove this 12 months.
Carrying Fletcher and Guillorme as backup infielders would possibly reduce the roster’s effectivity. However Fletcher appears to be the significantly better possibility on the middle-infield spots. White at the very least fills the necessity for a right-handed-hitting outfielder, particularly one who might play heart discipline if crucial. Jordan Luplow is one other backup outfield possibility.
So long as López fares nicely whereas making his Grapefruit League begins, he’ll probably win his battle towards Bryce Elder for the rotation’s fifth spot. This wouldn’t be a brand new expertise for Elder, who went from Triple-A Gwinnett’s Opening Day starter to being considered one of Atlanta’s eight All-Stars. Spring Coaching might present a greater sense of how the Braves would possibly handle Sale’s workload this 12 months. The veteran hurler has been restricted by accidents every of the previous 4 seasons.
This bullpen’s high quality depth offers the Braves the choice to make use of López as a starter. Bummer must be a worthwhile addition to what has the potential to be one of many sport’s prime reduction corps. If Matzek regains his pre-Tommy John surgical procedure type, he’ll crew with Bummer and Minter to offer supervisor Brian Snitker three high-leverage left-handed choices. Ray Kerr and Dylan Lee are two different left-handers who might assist the ‘pen sooner or later this 12 months. Hernández impressed sufficient to achieve a postseason roster spot final 12 months. We’ll give the ultimate two bullpen spots to him and Jackson Stephens, who might fill the Jesse Chavez function. Huascar Ynoa will even be a candidate for one of many remaining ‘pen spots.
