The Braves has designated outfielder Drew Stubbs for assignment, reports Mark Bowman of MLB.com (Twitter link). That DFA comes as part of a flurry of roster moves; the Braves have selected the contracts of veterans Reid Brignac, Chase d’Arnaud and Matt Tuiasosopo (David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported the Tuiasosopo news earlier today) and also recalled right-hander Mike Foltynewicz from Triple-A Gwinnett. Infielder Jace Peterson and right-hander John Gant have been optioned to Gwinnett as well. Atlanta has since announced the moves (also via Twitter).
Stubbs, 31, batted .237/.310/.316 with a homer and four steals in 20 games/42 plate appearances for the Braves prior to being jettisoned from the 40-man roster. He picked up his fair share of at-bats with Ender Inciarte on the disabled list while serving as part of a timeshare in center field with rookie Mallex Smith. However, with Inciarte set to return from the disabled list in the near future, his presence on the roster was perhaps deemed superfluous for Atlanta.
Peterson, 25, saw regular at-bats with the Braves for much of last season but cooled considerably down the stretch and has posted a woeful .182/.260/.205 batting line in 50 plate appearances this season. The infielder will hope to get back on track and return to the form that allowed him to bat .284/.363/.389 through his first 65 games last season. That production, though, was bolstered by a .339 batting average on balls in play, and the fact that his strikeout rate climbed in the second half of the 2015 campaign as well as early in the 2016 season (26 percent this year) suggests that returning to those heights could be a difficult task.
Brignac, d’Arnaud (the older brother of Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud) and Tuiasosopo all come with their fair share of MLB experience, though none of the bunch has enjoyed prolong success a the big league level. Given the high volume of roster turnover we’ve seen from the Braves across the past seven months of regular-season play, it seems highly plausible that none of the three will be a long-term addition to the big league roster. Foltynewicz, however, should have a chance to stick in the rotation now that fellow right-hander Bud Norris has seemingly been dropped from the rotation.
WHAT THE ****?????
This makes no sense
Why? Inciarte is the future — not Drew Stubbs.
Inciarte’ on the DL and the 3 position players they called up have not been good enough in the minors to be called up
Wow, they think a bunch of career journeymen will help? I guess they are going 100% tank mode in case there was any question before.
I don’t think anybody’s expecting that the team will suddenly turn into a contender, but you gotta have somebody filling all the holes in the lineup.
On to the next.
No one is saying they’ll win. All the players moved are of the replacement variety.
Once again the Braves are trying to replace 25 players rather than 1 manager….Gets more idiotic by the day
Bobby Cox couldn’t win with that roster.
Good moves, those sent down were not going too much and with an ever changing lineup, might as well see what these guys can do. Would like to see Gant make it back with some success.
Ron Gant?
No his brother John.
Only one player was sent down. Clown analysis bro…
Wish it was Ron Gant
Tough because I like Jace. He just needs to produce. John Gant also has some decent upside. Sending down both these guys is a fine move. Was hoping Stubbs would bolster himself enough to be a decent trade option but I don’t see how they don’t have a spot for him with also not having Olivera available. I think Frenchy and Stubbs would pair well as 4th and 5th OF’s
The moves seem like a publicity stunt to LOOK like they are doing something.
Jace Peterson is the only one of the position players that probably has a future. Gonzalez hasn’t given him steady and consistent playtime. Often because of mismanagement of the lineup and bench Gonzalez sent him to pinch hit versus tough left-handed pitchers. Jace at least appears to have played decent defense in several positions. He doesn’t have a future with the braves as a starter (with Swanson and Albies appearing to be the future) but could be a valuable role player. I hope that the steady play time in AAA invigorates his play.
Baring other injuries both d’Arnauld and Tuiasosopo will likely only be with the club short term. Inciarte and Gordon Beckham are due off the DL quite soon. Brignac will likely stay a bit longer.
Gant should be back this season.
That might be the most uninspiring group of call-ups I have ever seen. Brignac, D’Arnaud and Tuiasosopo might be a good bench player… that’s one good bench player, if you could somehow morph all 3 into one player.On the plus side, they dumped Drew Stubbs, so things almost balance out.
I liked Jace too and when we initially got him in the trade from San Diego I thought he had potential to be the everyday 2B, but he’s come to prove that he is one of those AAAA type players. He will do great in the minors but just doesn’t seem to have what it takes to make it long term in the majors. If he does it will only be as a defensive utility guy. So then sending him down isn’t a big surprise.
Stubbs wasn’t ENTIRELY bad as a backup OFer but with Inciarte coming back soon his days were numbered. Plus with Mallex Smith finally starting to come around at the plate he is needed even less. He was never going to get enough value to be a trade chip this season so it makes sense to DFA him.
As for Gant, I want to see him make it. I think he has potential but I don’t think he will see that potential as long as Fredi Gonzalez is the manager. Fredi doesn’t know how to manage pitchers. He’s horrible with them.
Regarding the ones who were called up today d’Arnaud was probably called up because he bats right. With a heavy left-handed bench we needed to be able to mix it up a bit, and with the mix up with Bonafacio it should just be a temporary thing. He’ll likely be here a few days until Bonafacio is able to be activated and then they will probably take him back to AAA. Tuiasosopo will probably go back down once Inciarte comes back. I really just don’t see a place for him after that He’s got 4 HRs in 25 games in AAA so maybe they are wanting him to try and get a little pop off the bench? Not really sure otherwise. Either way he likely won’t be here long. Brignac is a placeholder as well. He’s a bit more long term placeholder. He’s hitting .329 in Gwinnett so they are hoping to get a bit more production out of him than they would have Jace. Either way Brignac is likely only here until they feel Albies or Swanson is ready. If he continues to produce like he has in AAA (.422 OBP) then he could turn into a nice trade chip come July which would clear the path for Swanson or Albies.
Yeah these call ups are nothing more than cosmetic with the exception of Jace. I would like for them to play him everyday down in Gwinnett just play him at different positions. Give him starts all over the field because I look at him as our utility player of the future and I look at Adonis as our Jesus Guzman type bat off the bench little LF/3B on occasion maybe a little 1B too. And having a bench bat like that you have to have a versatile fielder as well.
I really want Inciarte to get healthy so he can get some at bats and we can move him at the deadline or offseason hopefully in a package for a RH power hitting corner OF. With Ruiz coming up and with Freeman, Mallex, Markakis, Albies, Swanson we need a middle of the order RH power bat for the OF. Any suggestions. Also need a catcher of the future. So maybe Inciarte can pull that in.
Ruiz has a high average currently but his strikeouts are up. Ruiz still has defensive shortcomings as well. I’m hoping that the braves don’t rush him.
Not sure we are going to trade Inciarte. The most likely OF to get traded for a large return would be Markakis. Even then I’m not of the opinion that any of our OFers get traded. We will most likely move some of these pitchers we’ve been stocking up on in order to get the bat we need.
One other option would see Cespedes opting out of his deal with New York and the Braves getting him. Though I doubt that happens and I don’t necessarily want it too. I think Cespedes is overrated.
As for catcher there are a few options just depends on how the year goes. Matt Weiters could be a decent stopgap until Lucas Herbert is ready, that’s assuming he’s the future. The jury is still out on him.
I’m hoping they can get some decent power in the draft in June. Kyle Lewis would be a start.
Looks like Foltzy is destined for long relief action.
He started today. More clown analysis bro…
Also, if he’s ever relegated to the bullpen it won’t be in long relief. They’ll put him in high leverage situations…
Dear rest of the league,
We’ve waited long enough. With now that we have the service time settled, we’ve decided to bring the BIG GUNS!!!
Consider yourselves warned.
Yours truly,
Delusional Braves fan
So the sarcasm and joke was noted but no one said these moves were the “big guns” so your sarcasm and jokes are out of place
It was a noble effort, but looks more like a noble effort in stupidity.
I’m sure you’re an all world pseudo-intellect.
Tell me more about your ad-hominem. Cool story bro.
I just went to town. I’ll wait for the rebuttal.
Good luck.
Thank you, come again.
How is it out of place? I can’t joke about me and my teams misery???
why have misery? do you even baseball? any Braves fan who keeps up during the offseason knew the team would be in the 90+ loss range for 2016. There simply isn’t enough talent. This season is just about throwing stuff against the wall and hoping it stuck well enough to have trade value. Rebuilds take time, and judging by our present farm, upcoming drafts and international free agency, I think the Braves long term future looks pretty good. The present…not so much
What? I’m on board with the rebuild. I know they take time. I’m probably the most conservative fan when it comes to service time. Everything you said may be directed towards me, but they don’t apply to me. Like at all…
I don’t get where you got all these conclusions from.
Stubbs will be claimed– i would put money on it– a center field capable bench player hitting .240 with 4 stolen bases and a homer in limited ABs could be a good find on the wire.
Shame, Stubbs was fun to watch and Jace wasn’t really given a chance this season. That said, Beckham should be back fairly soon and KJ always seems to come around. If losing Stubbs means the Braves OF is Smith/Inciarte/Markakis on most days then I support this move.
Why oh why is Eric O’ still on this team though? As long as he’s there Fredi will keep letting him blow leads.
The only one of these I’m remotely excited for is Tui since he has some form of power potential.
Rebuilding is not pretty.