The Brave Face a Surprising Lack of Launch Options Due to Injuries and Ineffectiveness

The Atlanta Braves are probably in a situation they didn’t expect to find themselves in: They’re struggling with pitching.

After last season’s struggles finding healthy arms to start games in Atlanta, the team used sixteen different starters to finish the 162-game season (thirteen traditional starters and three relievers), it was obvious that the front office wanted to have several options for 2024.

This offseason, Atlanta failed to lure free agent Aaron Nola out of Philadelphia so they went out and signed Reynaldo López in free agency, then doubled down by trading for Boston Red Sox veteran Chris Sale, a move it turned out to be prescient.

Even after trading away some of their depth options to Triple-A who didn’t project to make the major league roster like Jared Shuster and Michael Soroka, both now out of the Chicago White Sox bullpen, the Braves always seemed to have a plethora of starting options. The major league rotation was so deep that an All-Star from last season, sinker Bryce Elder, started the season in Triple-A. Gwinnett and one of the team’s top prospects, Hurston Waldrep, finished last season in Triple-A for his final start, but was assigned to Double-A Mississippi due to too many options in Gwinnett to integrate it into the rotation.

It’s amazing how a few months can change things, huh?

Spencer Strider is out for the season after elbow surgery to correct an issue with his UCL. Bryce Elder was optioned to the minors after a disastrous May where he allowed sixteen runs (fifteen earned) in just 11.2 innings in three starts, all Braves losses. And top prospect AJ Smith-Shawver, fresh off a Masterful debut in 2024 against the Chicago Cubs, was placed on the injured list with what turned out to be a Grade 2 oblique strain, which could sideline him for several months.

Atlanta called reliever Ray Kerr for his first career major league start last night – a start he knew nothing about it until he arrived at the stadium on Friday. As you can imagine, It didn’t go very well.

What shall we do now?

Existing options to grab the fifth starting spot in the rotation vacated by Strider’s injury haven’t worked out so far. Justin Toscano of the AJC compiled the ERA of each of the five guys who started there (Allan Winans, Bryce Elder, AJ Smith-Shawver, Darius Vines and Ray Kerr): 6.39

In Triple-A Gwinnett right now, the only starter on the 40-man roster who is both healthy and has yet to start this season is the left-hander. Dylan Dodd. The major league sample size he’s compiled so far doesn’t inspire confidence. He made seven starts last season, going 2-2 with a 7.60 ERA in 34.1 innings.

(It’s worth noting that Dodd’s 2024 AAA ERA is almost a point and a half lower than last season, when he was battling injury, although it’s still 4.50 after eight starts and 50 sleeves.)

Other starters on Gwinnett’s 40-man roster include Huascar Ynoa and Ian Anderson, both rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and currently on the injured list. Anderson is expected to return at some point in the second half of the season, while Ynoa started three games in Gwinnett before going on injured reserve and his return is unknown at this time.

Snitker indicated after last night’s game that there were enough options between Vines, Winans, Dodd, Elder and Kerr to mix for a while until someone separated from the pack: “Yeah . We will continue to do so,” Snitker said to Toscano and other media. “There are options. It’s just one of those things you have to fight against. This thing is never perfect, it’s never easy. But we’ll just continue to work our way through it and then find a solution and make it work.

“We’ll just see where it takes us,” Snitker said. “We’re just going to do this on a daily basis and see where the guys are at. We have done it before and we will do it again.

Atlanta is also short on potential major league relievers in Gwinnett. With today’s call from Jimmy Hergetthe only 40-man reliever remaining in Gwinnett is Daysbel Hernández, who was chosen there on May 23 and cannot return for a fortnight, except to replace an injury. Atlanta has options they can add to the 40-man roster with veteran Ken Giles and the recently re-signed Jackson Stephens, and the Braves can create a 40-man roster spot by moving Spencer Strider from 15th to 60th. list of injured.

There’s a little more flexibility here, as the Braves can still move a starter in relief like they did with Vines this week. Additionally, there are relief prospects in the minors, such as Hayden Harris (currently in Double-A Mississippi).

But there is no easy choice to make here.