Aside from signing Jurickson Profar and depth pieces, as well as making a few minor trades, the Atlanta Braves have been suspiciously quiet this offseason. Despite multiple losses in freen agency as well as a pretty significant payroll cull to start this offseason, the Braves have been among the more passive contenders this winter.
The club could still use another pitcher, whether a back end starter or middle inning reliever, but Atlanta might just wait until February 12 to make their next addition. In fact, thanks to a full 40-man roster and an injured reliever, they might be encouraged to wait just a little longer.
Why the Braves might wait until pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training before making their next move
The Atlanta Braves currently have a full 40-man roster. While there are several players who fans wouldn’t even notice were missing if they were designated for assignment to open up a spot for a shiny new free agent, Alex Anthopoulos and the front office might have decided that it would be better to wait until February 12, when Braves pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training.
Because of MLB roster rules, the club doesn’t have the ability to place a player on the 60-day IL from five days after the season ends until the date the team first begins Spring Training. Players on the 60-day IL don’t count agains the team’s 40-man roster.
Joe Jimenez is expected to miss at least the first three months of the season, if not the entire season, after having surgery on his knee. If the Braves were to sign a reliever today to fill in some of the innings Jimenez would have covered, they would have to risk losing a player currently on their 40-man roster.
However, if the Braves wait a few days to add their next arm, they could simply place Joe Jimenez on the 60-day IL, allowing them to get a look at each player on the fringe during Spring Training before having to make a call on whether they keep them or move on.
Of course, if there is a free agent they’re looking to add who might sign elsewhere before pitchers and catchers report, they should by all means be willing to drop someone like Amos Willingham or Carlos D. Rodriguez to make sure they get their guy.
Still, if you’ve been patiently refreshing all of your Braves feeds, waiting for their next move, it might be best to take the next few days off.
