Left-hander Max Fried is slated to make his return to the mound on Monday, when the Braves open up a three-game series against the Padres. Atlanta manager Brian Snitker told reporters (including David O’Brien of The Athletic) that Fried will be activated from the 15-day injured list prior to the game. Fried will end up missing only 16 days due to a strained left hamstring, as he went to the IL on April 4 but with a backdated placement of April 1, so ensure a quicker return as long as the hamstring issue turned out to be pretty minimal.
With Fried and Kyle Wright now healthy, Atlanta’s rotation is more or less back in its expected form, with Fried, Wright, Spencer Strider, and Charlie Morton comprising the top four, and Bryce Elder pitching well in a bid to cement his spot. The Braves had planned to use Jared Shuster or Dylan Dodd as the fifth starter heading into the season, but while the two rookies have struggled against MLB hitters, while Elder has an impressive 1.53 ERA over three starts and 17 2/3 innings.
More from both the NL and AL East divisions…
- Brayan Bello is also expected to be activated from the 15-day IL on Monday, as the Red Sox righty will make his season debut in a start against the Angels. Bello dealt with some forearm tightness early in Spring Training, which delayed his ramp-up enough that a short IL stint was necessary to open the season. With Bello expected to be a regular starter, the Boston Globe’s Alex Speier suggested that the Sox might utilize a six-man rotation until their next off-day on April 27, in order to give a bit more rest to a pitching staff that hasn’t many good results early in the season. Tanner Houck might ultimately be the odd man out of the rotation, and while Houck told Speier that he would prefer to stay as a starter, “I don’t have much say over it. We’ll have conversations, but I can only go out there and compete and put my best foot forward and continue to fight for the spot.”
- The Yankees are likely to activate Josh Donaldson from the 10-day IL on Wednesday, manager Aaron Boone told ESPN’s Marly Rivera and other reporters. Donaldson will play in a minor league rehab game on Tuesday and then take the field against the Angels on Wednesday. A right hamstring strain sent Donaldson (retroactively) to the injured list on April 6, and his return will provide some relief to a lineup that is missing Giancarlo Stanton and Harrison Bader. In Bader’s case, he has been working out and taking part in baseball activities at Yankee Stadium, and Boone indicated that a minor league rehab assignment might begin this week as Bader makes his way back from a left oblique strain.
- X-rays were negative on Avisail Garcia’s right wrist after the Marlins outfielder was hit while swinging at a pitch in today’s game. Jesus Sanchez had to replace Garcia to finish the rest of the plate appearance, but Garcia looks to have avoided serious injury, even if the Marlins might hold him out a day or two to monitor the wrist. After a rough first season in Miami, Garcia’s struggles have continued in 2023, as he has hit only .162/.225/.270 over his first 41 plate appearances.
Hey NATION!! Any one see who followed up his win with a SAVE!!!! BRAIS BRAIS BRAIS!!! ( to the 70’s tune … more more more) playoffs here we come…( bartender drinks on me!!!)
Great start by Whitlock. Sounds like the manager made a smart move keeping him in the rotation. Much more value pitching 7 innings, than 2 here or there. Turner knocked in both runs. Ort looked good in eighth. And Brasier gets the save and has a 2.16 ERA in the month of April.
Looks like they’re turning the corner.
RSmith: Whitlock did look great but it’s one start. Let’s see what happens as I’m still of the mindset that the team to win has to have a consistent set up guy to Jansen and Whitlock in the sample size we have has been lockdown.
I see Whitlock having a decent chance of becoming the Ace of the staff. Not of any staff, but of this Red Sox team. In that role he would be far more important than as a setup man.
He has potential but we’re comparing what he hopefully will do vs. what he’s already done. Last year’s club was the worst in holding leads and they’ll again finish in last if that happens again. That’s why I want him late innings in big situations before Jansen.
Rsmith… when I saw Ort come in the 8th I made sign of cross… when Brais came in 9th it was rosary ( facing trout/ ohtani 1 run lead) but hey that’s what faiths about… seriously Nice start by Whit/ Jansen has been perfect and let’s face it the line up is not going to bring back memories of the 78 club but treading water is the way I see it and that’s okay for now… hoping Bello is healthy cause I love his stuff and as said in previous post more faith in him/ houck/whit/ then sale/ Cory and Paxton…
Ort had trouble throwing strikes at first, but settled down nicely. The pickoff at second was smooth.
Brasier was lights out in the ninth. Striking out Trout and getting Ohtani to end the game was excellent.
Off Topic: Why is there no news about Noah Song? He was placed on the 15 day IL on March 30th. This is more than 15 days ago and no news.
He can stay on the IL longer than 15 days. He only has to go on the 60 day IL if they want his 40man roster spot.
OK. Thanks. So, he can stay on the 15 day IL indefinitely.
Ive been waiting for news too. I was expecting something to happen.
But, as long as the Phillies dont mind wasting a 40-man roster spot on Song, he can sit on 15 day for a while. It doesnt do anything for his service time and wastes a 40-man spot, but I think as long as the player doesnt speak up, and hes injured, Song can just sit there.
Gonna see Song pitching in Philly this year. Fans raising “Go Navy. Beat Army!” signs will be all over ESPN.
Complete waste of a 40-man roster spot. Nobody can 3.5 years off from baseball and immediately help an mlb team. He’lol be a Red Sock again before the end of May.
I’ve been a Red Sox fan for over 50 years and this bunch of scrap heap players are awful Devers being an exception to that . Fire Bloom Now
Actually they have been performing pretty well surprisingly. Yes they got their brains beat in at Tampa but Tampa was on a historic run ya can’t really count that against them. The squad is playing 500 ball even including those losses which is above projection for the year anyway. Duvall was maybe the hottest hitter in baseball before breaking his wrist and I realize Devers leads the majors in homers. Truth is they will struggle for sure against the big 3 in the division (Rays, Yankees, Blue Jays) but those big 3 are in the top 5 of the American League. Boston will get wins against anyone not Houston, Tampa, Toronto, or New York. So should Bloom be fired? He’s given us Whitlock and Houck, Trevor Story always was Bogey’s replacement it’s a shame he’s hurt, KeKe is like a Swiss army knife he plays all positions….There are a lot of positives on this squad, you just expect stars and want the team to over spend. It takes years to implement Tampa’s system and to load up on prospects.
The team has some exciting prospects and young talent. Like it or not, Bloom has done what ownership has wanted. Otherwise he would have been gone already. Henry and Co. need Bloom to take the heat for their decisions.
Old man yells at clouds
“awful” teams dont play .500 baseball. They have a better record right now, than both World Series teams from last year. They’re mediocre right now. Until they fall apart, we should be patient. Some young players will eventually step up.
#fitted54 – I feel your pain
king – pretty sure Houck was a DD guy.
Dewey – which exciting prospects were drafted/acquired by bloom?
That’s not gonna last for long. Phils and Astros will rebound. Phils have the tougher row to hoe without Harper and Hoskins, two big contributors last year. I’m guessing Dombro is working the phones and looking for a talented 1B or 3B (Bohm to 1B if it’s the latter.).
The Braves plan was not Shuster or Dodd it was Anderson or Soroka. Anderson was bad in ST and now is having TJ surgery, Soroka was held up with a hamstring strain after those two it was Elder or Allard
At the end of Spring training soroka was already sent back. Then they sent back Anderson and elder and we’re going to keep dodd and shuster for the 5th spot then after they pitched for a while and not that well. So they brought Elder back up pitching a lot better.
Soroka is gonna be in that rotation. His health problems were not arm, shoulder or elbow related. But since he hasn’t pitched for almost two years, I expect him to continue to build himself up at AAA until he’s ready.
Elder has done a nice job, but given a choice, I’d opt for Soroka. Of course, Braves could use either one as trade bait to find an everyday LF.
I hope the Yankees activate Donaldson and immediately place him on irrevocable waivers for the purpose of granting him his unconditional release.
Losing Stanton and replacing his bat with Donaldson’s is a double hit to the Yankees offense.
Not sure why they’re rushing to bring him back, Play Peraza for a few games.
If Garcia was hit, why didn’t he go to first base? I don’t understand why Sanchez had to finish Garcia’s AB.
@avenger: The article said Garcia was hit “while swinging at a pitch.” If you swing and miss and the ball hits you, it’s a strike.
Donaldson is a double edged sword. On the one hand, his performance shows yet another terrible acquisition by Brian Cashman. On the other hand, he’s the only Yankee who really wants to win and really has any fire in him. In that regard, Donaldson is the only *real* Yankee and the only Yankee even worth keeping. Bigger point is that the Yankees are a chump team that hasn’t even appeared in a World Series in 14 years and won’t win one this year, either- despite staggering top 3 payrolls (frequently the #1 payroll) year after year after year and despite the myth of the Yankees’ ‘championship culture’.
Ya hear that….Donaldson the team’s token racist according to Ace is the only “real” Yankee. Honestly I don’t see Aaron Judge putting on another uniform ever but what do I know. I don’t think the entire White Sox squad would make up Donaldson is a racist. I’m glad Boston did not resign Tommy Pham. I think most Yankee fans are done with Donaldson and would rather anyone but him play third.
He’s not a “racist” and Aaron Judge is a horrible choker when it actually matters- and his contract will end up being one of the worst of all time. A mega contract for a fragile 31 year old who is the biggest player in MLB (horrible for aging). Foregone conclusion that it will end up being a horrible contract.
I gotta give Tim Anderson credit for making “Jackie” a new racial slur.
So if that’s the case should Jackie Bradley Jr
be banned because that name is offensive to Tim Anderson
Maybe Tim Anderson will next claim to also be the modern day Michael X.
He’s not racist he hates everybody
Braves now need to get Michael Harris back and TDA and get Iglesias back so we can achieve our perfect form muhahahaha
Giancarlo is a Gioke.
Ahhh, another waisted year with Avi Garcia unless something motivates him to do whatever he was doing before when he had his good seasons. It would’ve been nice if he had a decent enough season to where we could’ve moved him at this year’s trade deadline, but doesn’t seem likely from what has been shown so far.
I’m hoping for Sanchez to start hitting to just win the job from Garcia outright, so we can accept that Avi will be an expensive bench player instead of hoping for him to deliver, while disappointing.