The Braves have signed right-hander Wander Suero to a minor league deal, reports Matt Eddy of Baseball America. The Rep 1 Baseball client will presumably receive an invite to major league spring training as well.
Suero, 33, signed a minor league deal with the Astros last winter. He was selected to the roster in April but was outrighted off the roster after just one appearance. He spent most of the year in Triple-A and had a good performance. He tossed 67 2/3 innings for the Space Cowboys, allowing 2.66 earned runs per nine. He was surely helped by a .238 batting average on balls in play and 85.8% strand rate, but his 24.8% strikeout rate was a strong mark.
He does have some experience as an effective major league reliever, though it’s been a few years now. He tossed 142 2/3 innings for the Nationals over the 2018 through 2020 seasons with a 4.10 ERA, 26.1% strikeout rate and 8.5% walk rate. He earned one save and 27 holds for the Nats in that time. But his ERA jumped to 6.33 in 2021 and he was non-tendered after that season.
Over the past three years, he’s mostly been limited to minor league work, with only six big league appearances in that stretch. But he had a 3.45 ERA in his 141 Triple-A innings for that time frame, striking out 23.1% of batters faced while walking 10.8%.
Atlanta might have a tight budget this offseason and the bullpen needs addressing. A.J. Minter, Jesse Chavez and John Brebbia just became free agents and Joe Jiménez recently underwent knee surgery that could keep him on the injured list for the entire 2025 season. Suero gives them a bit of extra non-roster depth and still has one option year remaining. That roster flexibility could work in his favor when it comes to getting a spot next year.
Bargain Bin Braves
The Braves will never have the money that the Dodgers and the Yankees have thanks to liberty media. However, when they shop in a bargain bin most of the time it turns to gold.
Ah, the ol’ Liberty Media bit. You know that’s not anywhere close to the truth, right?
I know the Braves have one of the highest payrolls in baseball but please enlighten me
lol I agree. Folks always saying Liberty aint spending or act like they aint one of the richest owners in sports. Liberty is worth a 30 billion market cap. The Braves had the 6th highest payroll last year.
Okay, so my comment was in error. Also, I didnt realize Liberty no longer controls the Braves. Simply put, they do things their own way and bargain hunt which has worked so far.
Liberty Does still own the Braves.
Actually, Liberty Media spun off the Braves and their various assets into Atlanta Braves Holdings Inc. back in June of 23.
This was done to make it easier to sell the team in the future.
Those type of low risk, low cost moves have occasionally worked well for Anthopoulos.
AA is playing 4D Hungry Hungry Hippos.
Isn’t everyone looking for the next Candelita to give them a spark?
AA, its not too hard! Call Hazen in AZ…inquire about Perdomo and McCarthy..take on Montys contract, have them shave some money off it. Send a package of AJSS/Nacho/Waldrep and another lesser prospect.
How do you know it hasn’t been rejected already?
For Perdomo and McCarthy? LMAO
That’s an insane amount of talent for the Braves to give up in that deal. God, so incredibly unrealistic.
Been awhile since I read something that off base. As we say in the South: “Bless his heart.”
Heck no!!
At least it ain’t the other Wander. Ahahahaha!
Bless you Riddler, you bring me such joy
Than you very much Gabe! That’s all I’m trying to do, spread a little joy. Ahahaha!
Wander was a solid prospect back with the Nationals in 2015, played alongside Reynaldo Lopez. I hope he gets an opportunity to shine the way Reynaldo did!
This guy is a bull of a man, looks like LeBron James. Listed at 6’4 215 but I’d say he is 230.
Weird mechanics, he has a hitch in his delivery that seems to take something off the life of his pitches, looks like he should be throwing high nineties but sits 94/95. Four seasons with the Nats, good season with the Astros AAA affiliate, still the same hitch in his mechanics though.
The wrong Wander is in the league. We want the best players in the world to be playing MLB.
Franco has the potential to be a perennial All Star in the DRPL (DR Prison League).
As a 30 year Braves fan I am hoping AA goes out and adds to the team outside of meh players. Hopefully by free agency and not trading top prospects which I think will happen.
Another yawn move by the Braves.
I understand the frustration with the Braves moves, so far, but they’re not gonna overpay for mid tier guys. They went after Aaron Nola last year, but he wanted to stay in Philly. All reports were the Braves offer was the same as the Phils. This isn’t a very good free agent pitching class outside of Fried and Burnes. If they could get Walker Buehler on a reasonable deal, i could see that happening, but his market looks like it’s gone up thanks to his playoff performance. Trade seems like the most likely place Atlanta adds a starter.
As far as shortstop goes, Adames was the only one of note. Atlanta was never gonna give a 29 year old SS a longterm deal. Everyone else is marginally better than Arcia, who the Braves are paying nothing.
There’s plenty of cheap corner outfielders they can get on a one year deal. I imagine they sign a few guys to minor league contracts and see who has the best spring training.
Bo that is ridiculous money for Adames. holy smokes…
braves still happy with just making the playoffs.. we cleared the books and have room to make some moves but cant pull the trigger