The Braves announced a series of roster moves Monday, selecting the contract of outfielder Michael Reed from Triple-A Gwinnett and optioning right-hander Matt Wisler to Gwinnett as well. Atlanta also placed Peter Moylan on the 10-day DL due to a right forearm strain and recalled righty Evan Phillips from Gwinnett in his place.
It’ll be the first MLB action for Reed, 25, since a brief look with the Brewers in 2015-16. He joined the Atlanta organization this past offseason and has turned plenty of heads since doing so, batting a combined .337/.460/.535 with nine homers and 21 doubles in an even 300 plate appearances between Double-A and Triple-A. Reed’s work in Gwinnett has been especially impressive, as he’s raked at a .369/.480/.592 pace.
While the power he’s shown is encouraging, Reed has somehow managed to maintain an unfathomable .532 BABIP through his 125 plate appearances in Gwinnett — a substantial step forward from the still-unsustainable .426 mark he displayed in 175 PAs in Double-A. Given those figures and the fact that he’s whiffed at a 29 percent clip in Triple-A this season, there’s reason to temper expectations. That said, he also presents a right-handed-hitting complement to outfielders Ender Inciarte and Nick Markakis — and one who can capably handle all three outfield spots for that matter.
Moylan, 38, was enjoying a strong season up through mid-June, but he’s been clobbered for seven earned runs on eight hits (three homers) and four walks with just two strikeouts in his past 4 2/3 innings — a span of eight appearances. The Aussie sidearmer is typically deadly against right-handed opponents, but righties have had no trouble with him in 2018, hitting .315/.405/.493 through 86 plate appearances. It’s not clear at this time how long Moylan is expected to be sidelined, though forearm strains come with a fairly ominous connotation.
In Moylan’s place, Phillips will get his first look at the big league level. While the Braves technically selected his contract for the first time in June, he was optioned back to Triple-A before ever appearing in a Major League game. He’s been superb in Gwinnett so far this season, averaging 13.5 strikeouts against 3.3 walks per nine innings pitched, en route to a 2.09 ERA through 38 2/3 frames out of the ’pen.
finally, some options that make sense
Moylan’s a terrific fellow, by all accounts, but he’s not getting the job done this year, or at least he’s been put in far too many high-leverage situations and isn’t getting the job done then. I hope it’s not a serious injury.
I believe he was doing some minor-league pitching instruction before the Braves brought him back a year or so ago. Maybe that’s where we’ll see him next.
Now if the Braves can get another inning or so from each starter before going to the bullpen …
to say that was overdue is an understatement
The fix for third base is Edwin Rios. Make the trade with the Dodgers. Hes ready.
Are you suggesting the braves trade for him? If so, that doesn’t make sense for the braves. Camargo is doing great over there, and Culberson could slide to 3rd as well if camargo gets hurt.
No. Trade for Moose. Won’t be expensive since just a rental.
Except Carmago has a slightly better slashline than Moose. Moose is a better defender, but acquiring him would only be marginal improvement that would cost both prospects and money.
The Braves would be much better served acquiring bullpen help or another frontline starter. It’s not logical to replace a 24 year old 3B with a 117 OPS+ and positive defensive marks for a rental.
Moose is a better defender, but can’t play SS and 2B like camargo can.
Moylan to DL with old age
Moylan needs to be added to the minor league coaching staff instead of reactivated later on. Bullpen help is needed AA!
Yeah I shudder to think of the pen facing off against the yanks this week
If Moylan needs TJ surgery he might as well retire and return to coaching.
These are moves that make a lot of sense for the braves. Rewarding players who are actually playing well and giving them a shot in the bigs will always be ok with me. Continuing to call up and down guys who don’t perform (especially at either lvl) is just annoying
Reed should hopefully be better than how Bourjas performed and Phillips potentially could be a big improvement over Moylan. I like Moylan, but this season has been unproductive for him as a Brave.
At AAA Phillips has 58 K’s in 38.2 innnngs. That’s impressive to me.
If Reed gets only 47 PA in 2 months worth of games, don’t expect him to have any consistency hitting.
I know there is a segment of the Braves’ fan base who have grown attached to Bourjos, but I’d love to see Reed make everyone forget PB was even on the roster this year. Kudos to AA for moving on.
They are grasping at straws. They tried Culberson out there, Tucker, Adam’s, Bourjos, Santana, and now Reed. It’s just throwing darts at this point.
Daved, thankfully you are the one grasping at straws. The Braves roster moves involving extra outfielders has been pretty intentional despite not having the best pieces to work with. Each move has been dictated by the current situation at the time. Apparently you are having trouble recognizing that fact.
Tucker and Adams started the season off with a limited number of days to start while Acuna spent more time in AAA. They were the left handed and right handed complements to each other in a more or less platoon role.
Adams was basically unneeded once Acuna was promoted since Acuna could play centerfield if Inciarte was unable to do so.
Bourjas was basically only the defensive replacement if necessary. His time on the roster has pretty much revolved around having a superior defensive asset available if Acuna wasn’t available on the roster.
Santana is more bat first since he is a switch hitter and has more power than Bourjas. While Santana performed well in AAA, in my own opinion he is more of a AAAA player than a everyday player in the majors. He is streaky and I THINK that because he was in a somewhat hot streak at Gwinnett the Braves had hoped his aggressiveness (and switch hitting) would play well as a bench bat. The results have been mixed to date.
I thunk that it is obvious the moves have been very purposeful despite not having top flight talent to work with. I wouldn’t be surprised though if Atlanta at some point brings a better hitting left handed hitter to the team via trade. Perhaps a veteran like Granderson (although I wouldn’t look for that move unti right at the last moment). I’m not a fan of Flaherty pinch hitting.
I’m not grasping at anything. You are wanting a 37 year old Granderson? Good luck with that. You just wrote about 5 paragraphs of spin that looks like A.A. just printed off his computer.
Acuña has left field, Culberson has been really good. Not sure how they are grasping at straws.
Culberson is not an OF. They are using him there from time to time, just like they’ve used about 6 guys there.
Culberson has play over 350 innings in the OF and has been pretty good.
So they are taking every day at bats away from this guy in AAA so he can ride the bench in the majors. Makes NO EFFING sense at all. How will he get more than 5-8 at bats a week? Is he going to play over Inciarte, Acuna or Markakis? No.
He’s a journeyman, I think Reed would rather be earning a MLB check riding the bench, then playing in AAA.
A journeyman at age 25?
Considering he is in his 8th professional season, and has only gotten 28 MLB at bats, I would say he’s a journeyman.
For 20 grand a week, hell yes!
The guy was drafted out of high school for the love of God. A journeyman is a guy like Bourjos. A 31 year old, EIGHT year MAJOR league veteran who goes from team to team as needed.
Daved I can’t tell if your a troll or you just don’t keep up with the Braves. Clearly something is off in your perspective
I keep up with the Braves. They can’t decide on a 4th OF. Just throwing darts until someone sticks. It’s not hard to see.