The Braves announced a variety of 40-man roster moves today. In addition to losing outfielder Michael Reed to the Twins via waivers, the team outrighted lefty Jacob Lindgren, righty Jose Ramirez, and outfielders Lane Adams and Preston Tucker after that quartet went unclaimed.
Each of those players will remain with the organization, having cleared waivers, though Adams has the right to declare free agency since he has previously been outrighted. With four other players returning from the 60-day DL and taking up posts on the 40-man, the Atlanta organization now has nine openings left to work with as the offseason gets underway.
The 25-year-old Lindgren was a second-round pick of the Yankees in 2014 and quickly rose to the Majors, debuting in 2015. However, his promising career has been derailed by a pair of Tommy John surgeries — the most recent of which cost him the 2018 season. Because of all the time he’s spent on the big league 60-day DL, he’d have been arbitration-eligible this winter despite only having tallied seven MLB innings. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected him to earn only a modest $600K salary through that arbitration process, though.
Ramirez, meanwhile, missed most of the 2018 season owing to shoulder troubles. He tossed just 6 1/3 innings at the big league level with the Braves this year, though he’s previously functioned as a quality middle reliever under manager Brian Snitker. From 2016-17, Ramirez totaled 94 2/3 frames of 3.33 ERA ball with 8.5 K/9, though he’s also struggled with his control (4.5 BB/9, nine hit batters).
Adams, 29 next month, hit .240/.345/.520 in a tiny sample of 29 plate appearances as a reserve outfielder this season. He tallied 122 PAs with Atlanta in 2017 and batted .275/.339/.468 with five homers and 10 steals in that time. Adams has a solid track record in Double-A but has struggled in Triple-A. He’s shown glimpses of talent in the big leagues, however, and is capable of playing all three outfield spots, so he should latch on elsewhere on a minor league pact as a quality depth piece with a very viable chance of returning to the Majors next year.
As for Tucker, the 28-year-old turned some heads with an early-season showing that saw him hit .288/.333/.538 with three homers in 57 plate appearances. But Tucker had never managed to hit at that level in the past, and his bat quickly deteriorated (as did his playing time). Over his next 70 PAs, Tucker hit only .231/.286/.369. Atlanta traded him to the Reds in the summer’s lackluster Adam Duvall swap, and after a similarly uninspiring stint in Cincinnati, Tucker landed back with the Braves to close out the season. In all, after that fast start to the season, he hit only .202/.283/.342.
Tucker is a bit of surprise
Too many people coming off the 60 day that we need. All non essentials had to go
No really. If he was tradable during the season he’s expendable now. But it’s not like he’s been cut. He’ll season in the minors… prob fade away eventually
I think the surprise to which bravesfan1980 refers, is that he went unclaimed.
there goes those fellas
My expectations for this offseason is high for the braves. Reality will eventually kick in I’m sure. I predict not much will happen. Still think we need to go get some shut down bullpen arms at the very least. 2 at minimum… just my opinion
I’d venture to guess they’ll get 2-3 arms for the pen, and a #1/#2 starter, using their surplus.
Word is, the ex Orioles on the team have talked to Britton and he wants to go to the Braves, that match makes alot of sense. Hes a potential high end closer, who will probably only need a short term deal. I would like Kimbrel, but his asking price is probably going to force him to one of the big markets, as they are about the only teams with the luxury of gambling that much money on a pen arm as unreliable as they are.
There’s not much unreliable about Craig Kimbrel is the thing
Really not a gamble to go grab the best closer in baseball
There is no such thing as a 30+ yr old reliever thats not a gamble unless its a very team friendly contract.
Very very true. I love Kimbrel, but his stuff has been bought d to deteriorate and it looks like it is. That being said, I hope his agent is aiming to break Chapman’s and Jensen’s record deals with other teams and not ATL. We need too many pen arms, and the cost is too high to acquire reliable arms to dedicate $15MM AAV to a 30 y/o closer relying on swings and misses.
*bound to deteriorate (sorry…on mobile)
“With four other players returning from the 60-day DL and taking up posts on the 40-man, the Atlanta organization now has nine openings left to work with as the offseason gets underway.”
They had 9, they now have 5
The Braves can trim more fat off the 40 man. Sam Freeman, Luke Jackson, Grant Dayton, wes parsons and trades of Julio Teheran and maybe a few nontenders free agents and we can have a lot more spots open for minor league players that need rule 5 protection and free agents
Julio isn’t getting traded, and not sure why Braves fans want him to be. He had good stats last year.
Julio will get traded because you can get similar, if not better, production from one of the many guys at AAA. With Gausman, Folty, and Newk locked in the Braves want a #1 and need to have a spot for Touki, Soroka, Wright, Gohara, etc to compete for.
Julio is gone. They arent even hiding it. His numbers are fine away from SunTrust. Theyve got 10 legit guys competing for rotation spots and tying a spot up for Julio makes no sense. Plus with his contract still fairly REASONABLEfor a back end guy, he wont be hard to move.
Assuming someone will pay his contract which isn’t all that bad then he’s gone
Doubt we even ask for anything in return other than the salary relief
Only way he stays is if the Braves get greedy and try to turn him into a prospect or something again
Send Julio to Arizona to off set some of Greinke’s salary.
I kinda agree, but those guys are on the hook for money, so if we r gonna pay them, might as well keep them until we can’t use them anymore.
Still bummed Reed didnt get a chance with us after hitting nearly 360 in AAA. Peterson, Adams, etc got chances and never dreamed of hitting that well.
Still need a replacement for Markakis in RF.
I’d say a right handed power bat.
Someone like Mitch Haniger of the Mariners
who has 4 years of control left.
While I would live to have Haniger on the Braves it would make little to no logical sense for the Mariners to deal him away.
The Mariners need starting pitching.
I’m thinking Mike Foltynewicz for Mitch Haniger.
Haniger still isnt arbitration eligible yet
6.1 WAR, 2018 Allstar, .285 w/ 26HR, 382B,, 93 RBI will be 28 y/o for 2019.
At first I thought Newcomb…but I’d rather deal Folty if the Mariners would do it
Folty is not getting traded. The braves need more good SP, not less.
Folty and the Braves had a little disagreement around this time last year. This year the number will be near 6 million and there may be another disagreement.
Haniger gives us a chance to win everyday…Folty every 5 days and hes about to get expensive.
We have lots of young starting pitching we don’t have a right fielder
They we’re like $100,000 apart. That’s probably because they filed and trialed.
Please stop trying to make this happen Billy. It’s clear you’re just a mariners troll talking nonsense.
The Braves need a RF Dan, its that simple. Who is available that provides the power, defense and years of control that Haniger does ? I dont see any nonsense about it.
But it’s not gonna happen. The Braves are not getting rid off their best pitcher and the Mariners are not getting rid off their best position player. Simple.
Wonder if the Angels would deal us Upton back cheap to take over his contract?
Would they? Of course, it’s a terrible value for them.
Should they? Hell no. We don’t want him.
I thought about that for a brief second too
They’d either need to eat a lot of that contract or ask for almost nothing of value in return prospect wise
My guess is it doesn’t happen though and it’s probably for the best
If we have to take that contract it isn’t cheap
Reds were stupid to trade Tucker back for cash. He would have been a promising player. And plus, Duvall was part of another one of the Reds trades, so this shows you how long they have been rebuilding. Tucker would have been a good LF for the Reds, but they passed him on for less than a million dollars in cash. That was stupid. I have never heard of the other guys so I don’t care. Foltynewicz is an All-Star in the making. That would be stupid to trade for Mitch Haniger. That outfield is full if you bring Markakis back. How about:
Julio Teheran for Ben Gamel
That way, the Braves don’t get rid of All-Star talent and they get back a very promising player.
Britton is not going to Atlanta, is he going to New York, to the Bronx. Yes sir! He will resign with the team, at least I hope so.
Markakis had a career year, and regressed in the 2nd half. RF is a hole they need to fill. The bench is also very weak, and they will need a guy, possibly Josh Harrison or Marwin Gonzalez. I could see Britton in Atlanta, depending on his price.
I quit reading after your second sentence Caleb because that was when it became clear that you had no idea what you were talking about
Foltynewicz was an Allstar, so was Mitch Haniger…whats your point ? I’ll take the Allstar that plays everyday in a position of need.
What would be as you say “stupid” would be to resign Markakis.
Also I’d keep Inciarte in CF Acuna in LF and Haniger in RF.
I’d use Teheran in a trade for Grienke
Pitching wins in the playoffs. Why would the braves trade a proven pitcher for a bat. They would be better off trading prospects for him.
You seem to really like Foltynewicz. Which is fine
It’s just my opinion that he doesn’t have the mental make up as a starting pitcher. He seems to be his own worse enemy and I feel it would show even more with more pressure in a playoff game
If the Braves miss out on Realmuto then trade Julio to the Pirates for Cirvelli
Stop
3 of 4 former Yankee prospects at one point, Vizciano is the last yankee prospect left on the Braves