Atlanta Braves Morning Chop: Tickets, Charity, Relief
Jun 28, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Atlanta Braves catcher
A.J. Pierzynski(15) and relief pitcher
Jason Grilli(39) celebrate after defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. The Braves won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Relief Needed: 5 free agents who could help Braves’ bullpen in 2016
[ snip – much more at the link above ]
The Braves typically carry seven relief pitchers on the active roster. [Shae] Simmons and [Chris] Withrow will presumably fill two of those spots. Jason Grilli should, barring setbacks in his rehabilitation process following an Achilles injury, return to the fold. With his strong finish to the season as the Braves’ closer, Arodys Vizcaino figures to have a spot in the bullpen locked up.
That leaves two spots in the bullpen that the Braves could fill in-house, or they could go the route of free agency, where there are plenty of capable pitchers. Here are five relievers who could fit the Braves’ needs:
[ Ed. note: additional details on the “why” for each name below can be found in the original article. ]
- Tony Sipp, Astros
- Edward Mujica, A’s
- Sean Marshall, Reds
- Shawn Kelley, Padres
- Matt Albers, White Sox