Atlanta Braves Sign Lefty Reliever Jacob Lindgren
By Fred Owens
That’s a Wrap
The Lindgren signing is without doubt the result of having former Yankee scouts on the Braves staff. He’s a Mississippi native and the offer of a major league contract and the personal involvement of scouts he knew made his decision to ditch the pinstripes in favor of the Tomahawk an easy one.
His progress will resemble that of Max Fried. Both had August TJ surgeries and spent their first year with the Braves rehabbing. Fried made a successful return this season and looks like a good investment for the future.
Lindgren is under team control through 2023 so the Braves have time to help him through rehab and find out if he can get back to being a dominant reliever again.
He does take a roster spot but he’ll be put on the 60 day DL as soon as it’s possible to do so and open that spot again. Those worried about lacking a roster spot for the rule five draft should really relax.
Next: You have questions we have answers?
As I pointed out in my post on the subject. the players available have had five years earn a 40 man spot and failed. When suggesting taking a rule 5 player think about whose place on the 25 man roster he would take. There are players there who could be replaced but would your rule five player be worth replacing – and possibly losing – that player?
As we saw today the roster is still in flux and the front office is very aware of who is available where. Lindgren is a perfect example of that; a potential reliever with closer stuff for virtually nothing. I’d say that’s a pretty good pickup.