Bullpen Help?
The Braves did lose a few members from last year’s bullpen. Mark Melancon is now with the San Diego Padres and Shane Greene remains unsigned.
Meaning there is potentially an open spot in the bullpen for a few of these names.
Nate Jones
35-year-old reliever with a career 3.31 ERA and 9.90 K/9. Struggled last year with the Reds pitching to a 6.27 ERA in 18.2 IP.
If he impresses this spring, he has a small chance to make the team in Atlanta. Could potentially turn into a solid middle-reliever for the team.
Carl Edwards Jr.
Edwards Jr. was once a formidable member of the Chicago Cubs bullpen. After a rough past two seasons with both the Cubs and Mariners, maybe Edwards can find a way to bounce back and become a solid middle-reliever in Atlanta.
He is only 29-years-old and sports a career 3.54 ERA and a 12.06 K/9. He is a low-risk option for Atlanta who could end up being a great value if he regains his 2017-2018 form.
Thomas Burrows
Burrows is a 26-year-old prospect who was in AAA in 2019. A solid showing in spring training could see him sneak into the bullpen to start the season.
He is hurt by the fact that the Braves already have three left-handed relievers that figures to be a big part of the 2020 bullpen.
Jason Creasy
Yes, this is a real player.
Career minor leaguer with 3 different organizations. He had a 5.59 ERA in 2019 with the Gwinnett Stripers.
It is unlikely he gets a shot, but anything is possible. A strong spring and some injuries could lead to him getting a shot in mop up duty.
Kurt Hoekstra
27-year-old who has never pitched above AAA. He did have a 3.24 ERA and an 8.64 K/9 in 2019 in Gwinnett.
Probably not likely but if the Braves want to let guys like Kyle Wright, Touki Toussaint, or Bryse Wilson start in AAA to pitch on a more consistent basis instead of sticking them in the bullpen, then maybe Hoekstra gets a shot to start 2021.
Most likely, Edwards or Jones would be the favorites to find themselves in a bullpen role come opening day.
Thankfully, teams can usually address bullpen issues the pretty easily during the season.
Now, we can move on to the bench.