Catching a break?
Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker isn’t giving anything away about the choice for backup catcher. While it’s still possible that a veteran could join the group – Jeff Mathis got his release last week and fits that mold – today, though, it appears the club will use one of their young prospects to backup Travis d’Arnaud.
Alex Jackson’s looked like the better defender, and both have arms capable of stopping the running game. All things being equal, offense could tilt the decision one way or the other, but it isn’t clear which way it would go.
William Contreras has a better slash line the Jackson, but the Braves felt Jackson’s bat was coming around over the last ten days or so. Contreras is faster than Jackson, but that seems a marginal difference at best.
UPDATE: THE JOB BELONGS TO JACKSON
Alex Jackson will be the Braves’ backup catcher to open the season.
— Gabe Burns (@GabeBurnsAJC) March 27, 2021
The rationale appears to be centered on giving Contreras additional ABs and reps at the alternate site to continue his development toward being — perhaps — an everyday catching option in the future.
Starters
The Atlanta Braves told everyone this week they intend to go with four starters through the first couple of times through the rotation and use Johnny Wholestaff for two starts.
Today’s option of Wilson to the alternate site confirms that and leaves open the question of which pitcher fills the fifth spot when they go to a five-man rotation.
Wilson looks like the favorite today. He’s been superior to Wright all spring and looks a much more mature arm on the mound than he did before the 2020 season.
Some of that comes from the confidence he gained pitching a gem against the Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw in the NL Championship Series; the rest is the product of struggling, figuring it out, and fixing it.
Ynoa and Wright will get starts this year, as the Braves try to limit workload, so their pitchers are strong in September, but Wilson’s spot looks solid as I write this.
That’s a Wrap
The late afternoon release of Jake Lamb means there are 40 players on the 40-man roster, but with Toussaint’s assignment to the 60-day IL, there’s an opening if the Atlanta Braves find someone they want to add at the last minute.
Max Fried starts tonight against the Orioles, a game that’s free on MLB.TV and Charlie Morton starts on Sunday against the Rays. If they stay on rotation, we’ll see Anderson and Smyly before the day off Wednesday.
Baseball – real baseball – is nearly here, and I, for one, can’t wait!