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Atlanta Braves have room on the roster to improve

By Alan Carpenter

DETROIT, MI - JULY 28: Zach McAllister #34 of the Cleveland Indians pitches in the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers during a MLB game at Comerica Park on July 28, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers defeated the Indians 2-1. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - JULY 28: Zach McAllister #34 of the Cleveland Indians pitches in the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers during a MLB game at Comerica Park on July 28, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers defeated the Indians 2-1. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 15: Touki Toussaint #25 of the Atlanta Braves and the World Team pitches in the eighth inning against the U.S. Team during the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Nationals Park on July 15, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 15: Touki Toussaint #25 of the Atlanta Braves and the World Team pitches in the eighth inning against the U.S. Team during the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Nationals Park on July 15, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

Outside Options

The name that pops immediately to mind is that of Zach McAllister.  Cleveland cut him to make room for the return of Andrew Miller, and he is now a free agent.

The Indians are responsible for the balance of his $2.45 million salary, and any team can re-sign him for the pro-rated major league minimum.

Now McAllister hasn’t been that good (ERA of 4.97), but comes with relative youth on his side (30½), experience, better peripherals than actual results, and the benefits of a possible switch to the NL.

His homer rate (1.51 per 9 innings) isn’t particularly good, but as a righty he’s best against right-handed batters (.242 average against).  Thus he could effectively replace Peter Moylan.

Shhhh!

Other options?  The waiver wire is (supposed to be) a secret thing – only a few leaks see the public eye, though most players are put on waivers this month.  Most players are pulled back as well when claimed.

The ones you will see clearing waivers (and thus available to be traded anywhere) will be those with ‘baggage’:  poor performers, expensive contracts, older, nagging injuries, ‘rentals’, etc.

That said, non-contending teams won’t bother claiming anyone unless there’s a 2019+ reason to do so, which does leave some options open for the Braves, who are fairly low on the claiming priority list.

Inside Outside

Touki Toussaint has been rumored to be on the move up for a couple of weeks.  So far in early AAA action, he’s been better at the higher level (2.01 ERA) than at AA Mississippi (2.93)… and that wasn’t bad at all.

The thing that the Braves have been watching for Toussaint is his walk rate… and this have been trending down over the past 2 seasons.  It’s still in the high-3’s, but with a K-rate up near 10 per 9 innings, that’s combination which keeps his WHIP down – now under 1.20.

From a bullpen role, Toussaint – while still having starter stuff – could afford to let it rip.  That should make his strikeout stuff ‘play up’ over 1 inning at a time.

Toussaint would certainly be added to the 40-man roster over the Winter anyway, so if the need is there, it wouldn’t really hurt to go ahead and make use of him here in August and September.

Of note, it wouldn’t be the first time that the Braves opted to go to such a youngster as part of a playoff chase.  In 2011, Arodys Vizcaino logged 17 regular season innings as a 20-year-old.  At that time he had a 4.67 ERA, 8.83 K/9 and 4.67 BB/9.

I would expect that Toussaint could at least match those numbers – not great, but useful.  Such a promotion to the pen would also serve to limit his overall innings, currently sitting at 117.1 for the year (career minor league high: 145 in 2017).

There’s 2… more are possible

The waiver wire ticker tape is clicking away daily at this point.  Another bat, another arm… both are certainly possible in the next week or so.  The options above are merely that:  options among many possible choices.

More from Tomahawk Take

One name that I do not expect to be available to Atlanta… even if he’s available at all:  Josh Donaldson. 

There’s 3 options here, and none favor his acquisition by Atlanta…

  • (a) he’s still not healthy yet (and thus might not be ready soon enough;
  • (b) once he gets healthy, will he be the same as he once was?  Likely not; and
  • (c) even if he is healthy, the Braves are currently 25th in the list of 30 teams in the waiver claim pecking order.

So the likelihood that Atlanta could even sniff a look at Donaldson is extremely remote, for even if he suddenly was available at full strength today, he’d be claimed be probably half a dozen competitors before the Braves would have a chance.

Next. MVP means 'Markakis Very Productive'. dark

But here’s the message about all of this:  Alex Anthopoulos is still. not. done.

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