Atlanta Braves News

Jesse Chavez • RP • Braves

Braves Ink Jesse Chavez To A Minor-League Deal

The Atlanta Braves signed relief pitcher Jesse Chavez to a minor-league deal on Sunday. The veteran is going to pitch in Sunday's game versus the Orioles with a chance to make the Opening Day roster according to manager Brian Snitker. Despite his advancing age, the 41-year-old has been a solid reliever the last handful of seasons, posting a 2.91 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and a 17.0 percent K-BB% from 2021-24 (201 IP). Last season, though, the righty recorded a K/9 of 7.82, his lowest since 2017 (excluding 2020). If the 2021 World Series champion can make the team, for fantasy he'd likely only be worth a look in deep NL-only leagues.

5 hours ago

AJ Smith-Shawver • SP • Braves

AJ Smith-Shawver Could Open Season In Starting Rotation

The Atlanta Braves move to use right-handed pitching prospect AJ Smith-Shawver on Friday in the Grapefruit League against the Tampa Bay Rays suggests that the team could be lining him up to make his first start of the 2025 season on Monday, March 31, against the Los Angeles Dodgers, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Justin Toscano suggests. The 22-year-old could be in the lead for the No. 5 rotation spot as he competes with Ian Anderson, but the Braves may prefer to open the year with a six-man rotation given the fact that they open the year with seven straight games before their first off day. The former seventh-rounder has fanned 18 with just three walks in 12 spring innings over his four starts after he made only one start in the regular season in the majors in 2024. A matchup against L.A. early on wouldn't be ideal, and Smith-Shawver may just be holding a rotation spot in April until Spencer Strider (elbow) is ready to return.

2 days ago

Drake Baldwin • C • Braves

Drake Baldwin Officially Makes Opening Day Roster

Atlanta Braves catching prospect Drake Baldwin has officially made the team's Opening Day roster, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Justin Toscano. This was the full expectation once it was announced that primary backstop Sean Murphy (rib) was expected to miss at least the first couple weeks of the regular season due to injury. The 23-year-old Baldwin has the tools to be a starting fantasy catcher and he could end up sticking around at the major-league level all year, even when Murphy is ready to make his 2025 debut. He has held his own in spring training as well, hitting .303 (10-for-33) with two doubles, three RBI and four runs scored in 15 Grapefruit League games. The Braves' top prospect, per MLB Pipeline, also hit 18 homers in the minors in 2024. In two-catcher leagues, take a chance on Baldwin.

2 days ago

Spencer Strider • SP • Braves

Spencer Strider To Throw 45-50 Pitches On Sunday

Atlanta Braves right-hander Spencer Strider (elbow) is looking to throw 45-50 pitches in his second Grapefruit League start on Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles, according to MLB.com's Mark Bowman. Because Strider was able to get up three times in his spring debut on Monday, he could pitch into the fourth inning this weekend. The 26-year-old could leave spring training needing only two to three more tune-up outings before making his 2025 debut. Atlanta will be very cautious with their ace, but Strider's progress so far in camp has been a best-case scenario. Barring a setback as he continues to ramp up after having an internal-brace procedure in mid-April of 2024, Strider should be back no later than late-April. Because of his great progress this spring, Strider's ADP continues to rise, and he's now ranked as the No. 15 fantasy starting pitcher at RotoBaller.

2 days ago

Luke Williams • LF • Braves

Luke Williams Sent To Triple-A

The Atlanta Braves have sent outfielder Luke Williams to Triple-A. Williams cleared waivers and will begin his 2025 campaign with the Gwinnett Stripers. Last season, Williams appeared in 37 contests in Atlanta. During this stretch, Williams held a modest .196/.275/.261 slash line with three doubles and four RBI. He swiped three bags and held a 4:13 BB:K. However, across 55 contests at the Triple-A level, the 28-year-old performed quite well. He posted a solid .282/.344/.495 slash line with 19 doubles, nine home runs, and 18 stolen bases. This was a nice improvement compared to the .259/.353/.423 line he held at the Triple-A level during the 2023 campaign. Fantasy managers should expect the former third-round selection to operate as a depth outfielder in the Atlanta system in 2025.

2 days ago

Alex Verdugo • LF • Braves

Alex Verdugo Inks Contract With Atlanta

The Atlanta Braves have signed outfielder Alex Verdugo to a one-year contract worth $1.5 million. Verdugo has been linked to several suitors throughout camp. Fantasy managers should expect Verdugo to have a depth role in the Atlanta outfield. Last season, the 28-year-old posted a .233/.291/.356 slash line across 149 contests with the New York Yankees. He showed a strong eye at the plate, holding a 15.0 percent strikeout rate, but struggled to generate offense with his bat as he posted a modest .302 xwOBA. In addition, Verdugo was an elite defender, as he placed in the 94th percentile in arm strength and 96th percentile in arm value. Fantasy managers should expect Verdugo to compete for starting opportunities in right field while Ronald Acuna Jr.'s (knee) remains sidelined. He will likely operate on the strong side of a platoon in right field alongside Bryan De La Cruz. Verdugo will likely limit the opportunities for Jarred Kelenic, who is also a left-handed bat who posted a low .231 AVG last season.

3 days ago

Spencer Schwellenbach • SP • Braves

Spencer Schwellenbach Punches Out 10

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach looked untouchable on Wednesday against the Yankees, striking out 10 over six scoreless innings. He'll be heading into the regular season on a high note as he hopes to continue the success he saw as a rookie. In 2024, he posted a 3.35 ERA and 1.04 WHIP with 127 strikeouts across 123 innings. He excelled at fooling hitters, as evidenced by his 34.2% chase rate (96th percentile) and 4.6% walk rate (95th percentile). All signs are pointing towards a breakout season for the 24-year-old, who has the talent to be a top-20 starting pitcher for fantasy this year.

3 days ago

Jurickson Profar • LF • Braves

Jurickson Profar To Return To The Lineup On Thursday

Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar (wrist) is scheduled to return to the team's Grapefruit League lineup on Thursday against the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies and play in the remainder of the spring games, according to The Athletic's David O'Brien. A bone bruise in his left wrist has kept Profar out of spring training games since March 8, but he's ready to return now and should be ready to go for Opening Day next Thursday, barring a setback this weekend. The 32-year-old has gone 2-for-12 with two doubles in six games so far this spring. While he should be ready, it will be interesting to see if his lack of spring action will hurt him early on at the plate in his first year in Atlanta after a breakout 2024 campaign with the San Diego Padres. Profar doesn't have elite speed or power, but he makes a lot of contact and has great plate discipline. He's just inside RotoBaller's top-40 outfield rankings.

4 days ago

Matt Olson • 1B • Braves

Matt Olson Having Slow Offensive Spring

Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson has not had the best spring offensively to this point. The 30-year-old owns a .212/.297/.394 slash line with two home runs in 13 games and 37 Grapefruit League appearances. Olson started the 2024 season sluggishly but ended the season with a respectable .247/.333/.457 slash line, 29 HR, 78 runs scored, and 98 RBI in 685 plate appearances. Olson has hit for a high batting average at times in his career, but his career average sits at .254. The more important thing for 2025 will be to see if he can regain his elite power swing. While he still impacted the ball hard in 2024 with a 91.5-MPH average exit velocity, that value came in as his lowest since 2016. Olson is currently being drafted as the fourth first baseman in fantasy drafts and should be expected to provide great counting stats outside of stolen bases, especially assuming some hard-hit regression toward his career average.

4 days ago

Craig Kimbrel • RP • Braves

Craig Kimbrel Signs With Braves

The Atlanta Braves have signed relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel to a minor-league deal on Tuesday. The future Hall-of-Famer is back with the Braves after spending the first five seasons of his career with the organization. Since then, Kimbrel has bounced around quite a bit, but currently sits fifth all-time in saves. He's coming off a rough year with the Baltimore Orioles last season. He registered a 5.33 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, with 23 saves in 57 appearances with the O's in 2024. Kimbrel figures to pitch in a high-leverage spot behind Raisel Iglesias in Atlanta. He should see the occasional save chances, but probably won't offer reliable fantasy value while Iglesias is healthy.

4 days ago

Spencer Strider • SP • Braves

Spencer Strider Shines In First Spring Training Start

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider (elbow) made his long-awaited spring debut on Monday, tossing 2 2/3 perfect innings while striking out six. Although the competition he faced wasn't the toughest, it was encouraging to see his pitches at work following the injury. His fastball topped out at 98 mph and his breaking balls looked as dominant as ever. He only made it two starts into 2024 before requiring a season-ending internal brace procedure on his UCL. In 2023, he posed a 3.86 ERA and 1.09 WHIP while striking out a whopping 281 batters in 186 2/3 innings. His 3.09 xERA and .205 xBA also both ranked in the top-10 percent of the league. Strider could very easily be one of the best pitchers in the sport once again in 2025, which would make him one of the best values on draft day. Expect his ADP to continue to rise as he makes more spring appearances.

5 days ago

James McCann • C • Braves

James McCann Signs Minor-League Deal With Braves

Free-agent catcher James McCann and the Atlanta Braves agreed to a minor-league deal on Monday, a source tells FanSided's Robert Murray. McCann will provide the Braves with additional catching depth to start the 2025 season with Sean Murphy (rib) starting the year on the injured list with a fractured rib on his left side. Catching prospect Drake Baldwin is expected to start behind the dish early on, with Chadwick Tromp backing him up. The 34-year-old McCann will most likely begin the season at Triple-A Gwinnett as the team's No. 3 option should anything happen to Baldwin or Tromp. The former second-rounder by the Detroit Tigers in 2011 out of the University of Arkansas is basically a backup at this point in his career after hitting .234/.279/.388 with eight home runs and 31 RBI in 233 trips to the plate over 65 games in 2024 with Baltimore. McCann hasn't played in over 100 games since 2021 with the Mets.

5 days ago

Jurickson Profar • LF • Braves

Jurickson Profar Takes Batting Practice, Could Return On Thursday

Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar (wrist) took batting practice on Sunday in camp, according to MLB.com's Mark Bowman. The Braves have Monday off and will be in Tampa on Wednesday night, so they may wait until Thursday to put Profar back in the Grapefruit League lineup. However, until then, he can get as many at-bats as he needs in minor-league games. Bowman says that Profar remains on track for Opening Day next Thursday. The Braves are being cautious with the 32-year-old after he sustained a bone bruise in his left wrist in spring training, but fantasy managers shouldn't need to worry that he won't be ready for the start of the regular season unless he suffers a setback once he resumes playing in games. After a breakout year in 2024 with the Padres, many fantasy managers are wondering if Profar can repeat it. He doesn't have great speed or power, but he's in an excellent lineup and is just inside RotoBaller's rankings as a top-40 outfielder.

6 days ago

Chris Sale • SP • Braves

Chris Sale Gets Opening Day Start For The Atlanta Braves

Atlanta Braves left-hander Chris Sale has been assigned the Opening Day start for the Braves to kick off the 2025 season. Sale, the 2024 NL Cy Young Award winner, looks to continue his dominance in 2025 for the Braves and will start the season on the road versus the San Diego Padres on Thursday, March 27. The Padres have a solid lineup, including superstars Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. Regardless, Sale is one of the most dominant starters in the game, and fantasy managers should start him confidently next Thursday. During the 2024 season, Sale went 18-3 with an 11.4 K/9, 2.38 ERA, a 6.4 WAR, and a 2.09 FIP. Look for him to continue to rack up the wins and strikeouts behind one of the most potent lineups in baseball.

6 days ago

Spencer Strider • SP • Braves

Spencer Strider To Make Spring Debut On Monday

MLB.com's Mark Bowman reports that Atlanta Braves right-hander Spencer Strider (elbow) will make his Grapefruit League debut on Monday and start against the Boston Red Sox. It's a positive step in the right direction for Strider, who made only two starts in 2024 before undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery. The 26-year-old hurler will open the 2025 regular season on the injured list as he puts the finishing touches on his rehab, but barring a setback on his rehab assignment, he could make his season debut for Atlanta by the end of April. Strider was a first-time All-Star in 2023 and was one of the best pitchers in baseball, going 20-5 with a 3.86 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, a league-best 281 strikeouts and 58 walks in 186 2/3 innings over 32 starts. He also had over 200 strikeouts in 2022, but he's ranked as RotoBaller's No. 38 starting pitcher this year because he could the entire first month and may not be as sharp upon his initial return.

7 days ago

Austin Riley • 3B • Braves

Austin Riley Doubles In Return To Lineup On Saturday

Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley (hand) returned to the team's Grapefruit League lineup on Saturday against the Minnesota Twins and went 1-for-3 in the contest with a double while playing third base and batting in the two-hole. Riley was hit by a pitch on his right hand on Friday but was able to return to action a day later. The 27-year-old right-handed slugger is now hitting a cool .310 with an .892 OPS, a homer, three doubles and two runs scored in 12 spring training games. Riley actually suffered a season-ending fractured right hand in mid-August of last year and finished with 19 home runs, 56 RBI and 63 runs scored in just 110 games in 2024 as a result. The two-time All-Star is completely healthy now, though, and should be considered a top-five fantasy third baseman on a strong team after hitting 30-plus home runs in each season from 2021-23.

7 days ago

Ronald Acuña Jr. • RF • Braves

Ronald Acuna Jr. Could Run Less To Stay Healthy

Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) believes that he can play better than he ever has but will change his playstyle. The former 2023 NL MVP noted that he would "rather steal 30 and play a whole year as opposed to stealing 70, injuring myself and missing a whole year." Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status during the early part of the season as he is currently targeting a return sometime in May. Acuna suffered a torn ACL in his left knee last season but is on pace to make his 2025 debut early in the campaign. Before suffering the injury in May 2024, Acuna held a .250/.351/.365 line with four home runs and 16 stolen bases. During his 2023 MVP campaign, Acuna posted an impressive .337/.416/.596 line with 41 home runs and 73 stolen bases. While he is sidelined in April, Jarred Kelenic and Bryan De La Cruz will split time in right field. When he does return, he will be viewed as a high-end No. 1 outfielder. However, he may be less eager to run, which could slightly limit his overall ceiling.

Mar 15

Eli White • LF • Braves

Eli White Appears Likely To Open Season In Utility Role

Atlanta Braves outfielder Eli White appears to have the advantage over Luke Williams in the competition for one of the final position-player roster spots, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Justin Toscano. Both White and Williams are similar players, but the difference has come down to their performances in the Grapefruit League. White, 30, has gone 10-for-22 (.455) in 11 games, while Williams has only two hits in his 26 at-bats. Although he's unlikely to see much playing time, White's clearest path to some playing time early in the year could come in a corner-outfield spot with Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) opening on the injured list and with Jurickson Profar (wrist) a bit banged up in camp. Still, he's unlikely to see much time and barely moves the needle in NL-only fantasy leagues. In his five big-league seasons, White has a .266/.302/.568 slash line with 10 homers, 32 RBI and 20 steals in 171 games.

Mar 15

Austin Riley • 3B • Braves

Austin Riley Hit By Pitch On Friday, X-Rays Come Back Negative

Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley (forearm, wrist) left Friday's Grapefruit League game against the division-rival Washington Nationals after he was hit by a pitch in the right forearm/wrist area. Riley passed initial strength tests, and X-rays came back negative for any broken bones, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Justin Toscano. The 27-year-old will now go for a CT scan, with the Braves not saying anything until they have the full update. While it appears Riley avoided a significant injury, he's not out of the woods just yet. We will continue to monitor the situation, but expect him to miss at least a few days in camp. If the CT scan doesn't show anything serious, Riley should be ready for Opening Day in late March. There is more concern here since Riley dealt with a fractured hand in 2024, which wasn't discovered until he had a CT scan. Stay tuned. UPDATE: Riley is considered day-to-day and will not have to return to Atlanta for further testing.

Mar 14

Drake Baldwin • C • Braves

Drake Baldwin Fine After Allergic Reaction

Atlanta Braves catching prospect Drake Baldwin (illness) is feeling better on Friday after suffering an allergic reaction earlier in the week. The backstop was scratched from Wednesday's lineup due to the reaction. Baldwin is projected to be the team's Opening Day starter with Sean Murphy (ribs) sidelined. Through 10 games in camp, Baldwin and held a .368/.520/.474 slash line with two doubles and a 6:1 BB:K. Last season, the 23-year-old opened the campaign at the Double-A level and held a .244/.313/.337 line with six doubles and four home runs. However, over his final 72 contests at the Triple-A level, the former third-round selection held a strong .298/.407/.484 line with 13 doubles and 12 home runs. If he continues to perform well in camp, he is worth a look in the final rounds of drafts as he has a clear path to playing time in one of the top lineups in the sport.

Mar 14

Atlanta Braves News

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