Things keep getting busier and busier when it comes to the Atlanta Braves. With everyone now in camp, we will have our first full team workout today, but the vast majority of the team was already in camp getting their work in last week and we have had plenty to talk about.
First and foremost, the health of the starting rotation is already looking a little (emphasis on little for now) sketchy as it was revealed that Kyle Wright had to get a cortisone shot in his shoulder prior to the start of camp. While the reports regarding how he is feeling are very good, the start of his throwing program is delayed which is less than ideal and one has to wonder if there could be a deeper issue going on in his shoulder given how long it has seemingly bothered him.
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The other bit of news yesterday was that Marcell Ozuna, who was one of the last players to arrive in camp, has apparently been focused on getting his bulky shoulder healthy leading up to the 2023 season. The goal is for him to be more of an asset in the field so that he doesn't have to solely DH, but the bigger questions are whether or not he will remember how to hit again as well as whether or not he can avoid being arrested this year.
Elsewhere on the site, we had a look at one of the more unsung outfield options for the Braves in Sam Hilliard. There is no question that his hit tool has left something to be desired in the big leagues, but Hilliard is loaded with physical tools and hopefully being put in an organization that is well run vs. well...whatever the Rockies are will unlock some of his potential.
Finally, if you are wondering how good Sean Murphy's reputation is around the league, lets just say that Mets manager Buck Showalter certainly wasn't pleased that the Braves were able to nab him this past offseason. Murphy's workouts have also looked really impressive.
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Old friend Jason Heyward has yet another new team as he signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers for 2023. However, if you believe Freddie Freeman, it sounds like Heyward has made some swing adjustments that could pay big dividends for him in 2023. We have certainly seen Heyward make adjustments before and they haven't worked out, but hopefully J-Hey can turn back the clock at least a little (except against the Braves...that would be bad).
We also had the Mets' owner Steve Cohen going on the record with the media to talk about his spending spree this offseason. While all of the jokes about how Cohen had to spend a ton of money to basically have most the same team are valid, Cohen has certainly honored his side of his commitment to Mets fans to spend literally whatever it takes to win.