The Braves announced Wednesday that they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Seth Elledge from Triple-A Gwinnett. In a pair of corresponding roster moves, Atlanta placed outfielder Sam Hilliard on the 10-day injured list with a right heel contusion and released left-hander Danny Young (thereby opening a spot on the 40-man roster). Young recently sustained a yet-unspecified injury that’ll end his season. Injured players cannot be placed on outright waivers, so the Braves’ choices with him were to call him up and place him on the Major League 60-day IL or release him.
Elledge, 27, opened the season on Atlanta’s 40-man roster but was designated for assignment in early April and bounced to the Mets and Tigers via the DFA circuit. Detroit designated him for assignment late last month, and the right-hander rejected an outright assignment after clearing waivers. He later returned to the Braves on a minor league deal.
While Elledge was hit hard with the Mets’ Triple-A affiliate this season, he posted solid numbers in Detroit’s system and has been excellent in Gwinnett for the Braves: 9 2/3 innings, 1.86 ERA, 34.4% strikeout rate, 9.4% walk rate. He’ll get his first big league look since posting a 4.63 ERA in 23 1/3 innings with the Cardinals from 2020-21.
Young, 29, appeared in eight games with the Braves and pitched to a sterling 1.08 ERA with a 31.4% strikeout rate and 5.7% walk rate in 8 1/3 innings. He’s been hit hard in 15 2/3 Triple-A frames, however, yielding a 6.32 ERA and walking 13.8% of his opponents.
It’s common in situations like this one for the player to ultimately re-sign with the organization on a minor league deal, though that’s certainly not a given. Young will have the opportunity to talk to the other 29 teams, perhaps latching on somewhere with a two-year minor league pact that’ll cover his current injury rehab and give that team — be it the Braves or someone else — control over his rights into the 2024 season.
The usual Atlanta Braves “Master Class” in team-building; they’re giving the other teams the template and road map for success.
The Braves are going to need 1 SP and probably a bullpen arm(sure looks rather unsettling at the back end). A lot of moving pieces in the next few weeks, however. Chavez, Lee, and Minter possibly all coming back within 2 weeks. They could move AJSS to the pen if they need as well.
If the Braves play .450 to .500 ball the rest of the way, they should be able to coast into the playoffs as the top or second seed.
and get smoked in the first round by a hot team?
no great team wants to ‘coast’
AA will not let that happen…
The problem is that Atlanta has one of the worst farm systems in baseball. They simply don’t have much to trade anymore so they’re not going to get much of anything. To that extent, I question what they can possibly obtain and how much better it’s going to be then whatever they already have.
I suppose that you can get a reliever or two without any problems. The starting pitcher trade market is going to be expensive and that’s where I think they won’t be able to get much of anything.
They are evaluated by outsiders as having one of the worst farms in baseball. However, they keep churning out players year after year. They know what they have.
He is talking about the Braves trading for players, not promotion. They can use a couple experienced arms for the playoff run, but they don’t have the quality prospects to outbid teams for those arms.
They don’t need to they just need to get healthy
Not Atlanta’s style or need anyway.. With Fried, Wright, Minter and Lee all set to complete or start rehab assignments in the next week the Braves don’t need the guys that have huge price tags.
I agree Hemlock. I think they will get someone but the farm system for the Braves is as thin as it gets.
Yea, their farm system sucks, but they keep winning & bringing new talent to the forefront.
What team are you watching?
Dude I give them plenty of credit for having a great team. Calm down. Astros have a thin system too its extremely hard to have a stacked system and be a WS contender and I am sure they are happy where they are at.
Atlanta has never been an “outbid”, overpay type team anyways. A couple years ago, they got just what they needed in Joc, Soler and Rosario, for peanuts and won the WS. I’ll take nuanced, wise acquisitions over “out bid” all seven days of the week.
I don’t know if there’s an arm in the bullpen that I trust to throw a clean inning most nights. We probably need either 1-2 good arms or one great arm.
As thin as the back of the rotation has been, they only need to acquire a starter who they can count on to start a playoff game. If the goal is to give up young assets for a fifth-type guy, may as well keep what you have since it’s not prevented you from winning thus far and they won’t start in the playoffs anyways.
I see it this way. If I were a GM looking to add some future arms, particularly, whose farm system/ scouting dept would you trust more? The Braves, who continue to move players into successful roles, time after time, or another system where you may have more glitter and less guts? The Braves players for the most part are proven entities, when they are ready to move up.