‘Tis the season when teams adjust their rosters for administrative reasons. The Atlanta Braves continued their off-season adjustments today.
While the Atlanta Braves had players all over the Injured List during the 2020 season, that list evaporates in the off-season… regardless of the condition of the players involved.
As a result, those on either the regular or extended IL need to have their roster status clarified, and that happened today for several players.
The #Braves today selected RHP Alan Rangel and OF Travis Demeritte to the major league roster, and reinstated RHP Mike Soroka and OF Ronald Acuña Jr. from the 60-day injured list.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) November 6, 2021
The club also released LHP Grant Dayton, outrighted OF Terrance Gore to Gwinnett, and declined the 2022 option on RHP Josh Tomlin.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) November 6, 2021
Okay, let’s summarize:
- Grant Dayton is released and now becomes a free agent. He had been on the 60-day IL.
- Likewise Josh Tomlin is a free agent as Atlanta declines his contract option
- These moves clear 2 slots on the 40-man roster.
Meanwhile:
- Alan Rangel, a 23-year-old Mexican-born starting right-hand pitching bouncing between High-A and AA has been added to the 40-man roster.
- OF Travis Demeritte has been added as well.
- Mike Soroka and Ronald Acuña Jr. have been moved off the 60-day Injured list and back onto the 40-man roster.
- Terrance Gore — the man with more World Series rings than experience, it seems — has been removed from the 40-man list.
- Marcell Ozuna has been re-added to the 40-man roster as well… again, this is a procedural/administrative move as he had been on the Restricted List.
The only consequential player remaining on the IL is Charlie Morton, who was previously assigned to the short-term injury list. He did not need to be reinstated since his 40-man status was unchanged.
Previously, the Braves had added catcher Chadwick Tromp to the 40-man via waivers from the Giants. He’s been a “AAAA” player — anywhere between High-A and the majors — since 2015.
By my count, that puts the current size of the 40-man roster at 33 players. A series of procedural removals came earlier this week with the announcement of free agency declarations and option refusals.
We can continue to expect moves to add players in advance of the Rule 5 draft… Drew Waters headlines those expected to be added before the November 19th deadline. We’ll have that info in 2 weeks.