This story was excerpted from Mark Bowman’s Braves Beat e-newsletter. To learn the complete e-newsletter, click on right here. And subscribe to get it commonly in your inbox.
PHILADELPHIA — How will the Braves create roster house when catcher Sean Murphy, shortstop Ha-Seong Kim and right-handed starter Spencer Strider make their separate returns from the injured listing over the following few weeks?
It’s custom for managers and baseball executives to reply these sorts of questions by saying, “this stuff appear to work themselves out.” Whereas a boring response, it’s confirmed truthful sufficient through the years that it’s nonetheless used.
However we’re not going to take the simple means out. As an alternative, let’s take a look at a number of the robust choices the Braves could have to make to create roster spots for these key gamers.
Murphy: The 2023 All-Star catcher will likely be behind the plate when Strider begins for Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday evening. He has stated he could have to catch 9 innings on consecutive days earlier than being activated. Nicely, he didn’t catch greater than 5 innings throughout any of the three video games he caught for Excessive-A Rome this previous week. So, he will not be able to be activated earlier than the top of the week.
However there’s definitely cause to suppose Murphy might be added to Atlanta’s roster earlier than the top of the month. His return will possible pressure the Braves to half methods with both backup catcher Jonah Heim or utility man Kyle Farmer.
Wanting forward, each Heim and Farmer might be faraway from the roster by the point Kim returns in Could. However when you subscribe to the “this stuff work themselves out” idea, there’s all the time an opportunity an unforeseeable occasion will erase what at the moment appears inevitable.
Farmer is an amazing presence throughout the clubhouse, however it’s a must to query what worth he brings to a crew that already advantages from the nice versatility Mauricio Dubón, Jorge Mateo and Eli White carry.
The Braves have given Farmer seven plate appearances (three in a 13-1 win over the Guardians on April 12) and three innings within the subject so far. He’s an awesome man and there are many individuals who want to see him keep. But it surely makes extra sense to maintain Heim round to function a 3rd catcher.
With Heim’s presence as a 3rd catcher, supervisor Walt Weiss would have somewhat extra flexibility on these nights when Drake Baldwin is serving because the designated hitter. However sticking with Heim as a substitute of Farmer additionally offers some insurance coverage whereas Murphy proves he’s made a full restoration from proper hip surgical procedure.
Yeah, Farmer might be used as an emergency catcher. However within the occasion that something would occur to Murphy or Baldwin over the following couple weeks, it’s higher to maintain Heim round so long as attainable.
So, what do you do when Kim returns? The shortstop is scheduled to play a sim recreation on Thursday and he might start his Minor League rehab project subsequent week. Let’s simply venture a mid-Could return for now.
So long as Murphy and Baldwin are wholesome at that time, I feel Heim can be probably the most logical odd man out when Kim is able to be activated. However it’s a must to at the least consider another choices.
Kim: Kim’s return would free Dubón to play left subject when Mike Yastrzemski sits in opposition to left-handed starters. Dubón would even be obtainable to play both of the opposite two outfield spots. So, does his availability to play throughout the outfield reduce the worth of carrying White? Or, would White nonetheless present extra worth than carrying a 3rd catcher?
As for Mateo, I feel his pace erases him as a possible roster casualty when these place gamers return from the IL. Mateo offers Weiss an awesome pinch-running possibility and a glove that may play across the outfield on these nights when Dubón is required within the outfield.
Strider: He could also be able to rejoin the Atlanta rotation throughout the first week of Could. His return may bump Martín Pérez to the bullpen.
However you by no means know. Pérez may find yourself staying within the rotation. As you may need heard, this stuff appear to work themselves out.
