Veteran left-handed reliever Sean Burnett will opt out of his minor league contract with the Dodgers and sign a new minor league pact with the Braves, reports Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet (Twitter link).
Burnett, 33, is seeking a return to a big league mound for the first time since the 2014 campaign. Once an excellent setup option for the Nationals, Burnett signed a two-year, $8MM pact with the Angels as a free agent prior to the 2013 season. A left elbow impingement in 2013, however, led to season-ending elbow surgery, and a torn ulnar collateral ligament in 2014 required Tommy John surgery (the second such operation of Burnett’s career).
After a year off to recovery from that Tommy John, though, Burnett is back on a mound and now with his third organization in the past six weeks. The veteran southpaw, a client of agent Jim Munsey, was in camp with the Nationals on a minor league pact but didn’t make the club in Spring Training and subsequently latched on with the Dodgers, for whom he tossed 7 2/3 innings at the Triple-A level over the past month. In that time, Burnett allowed three runs (two earned) on eight hits and six walks (one intentional) with five strikeouts. That lack of control isn’t particularly encouraging, though some rust for a pitcher who had as long of a layoff as Burnett did is to be expected.
Burnett will report to Triple-A Gwinnett tomorrow, according to Nicholson-Smith, where he’ll look to continue to iron out some of the kinks. The Braves figure to present a clearer path to the Majors for Burnett, as Atlanta’s collective 5.14 bullpen ERA is markedly worse than the collective 3.84 mark turned in by the Dodgers. The two lefties in Atlanta’s ’pen at the moment are veteran Eric O’Flaherty and 26-year-old rookie Hunter Cervenka, either of whom could conceivably be unseated by Burnett if he can rediscover his form. From 2009-13, Burnett posted a 2.77 ERA with 7.5 K/9 against 3.1 BB/9 in 243 2/3 innings between the Pirates, Nats and Angels.
Cervenka just set the Braves record for most appearances at the start of a career without allowing a run, and has only allowed one of ten inherited runners to score. He’s not going to be unseated anytime soon.
Don’t know much about Cervenka, but I don’t think it will take much to unseat O’Flaherty.
He’s also walked four batters and thrown two wild pitches in 6 2/3 innings and has a career average of six walks per nine in the Minors. He’s safe for now, sure, but it’s not exactly difficult to see his control problems blowing up on him, either.
He hasn’t allowed a single run in spring training, the minors, or majors this year
I think it is a gray option for both Burnett and the Braves. Like I have seen commented before by some wise gentleman, “no such thing as a bad minor league signing.” Lord knows the Braves could use the help. And like most others, if he rebuilds his value, could be shipped to a contender.
I disagree with Gogerty
Why so?
I like the deal it does no harm. He gets a couple weeks foen in Gwinnet and then takes EOF out to pasture.
Also gets ManBan time to develop in AAA for a little bit because he has got to be ticketed for the bullpen. He just can’t get healthy. So I can see him develop
Into a lefty out the bullpen.