The Atlanta Braves are starting to narrow down the field of candidates for a roster spot as we near Opening Day.
The team announced eight different roster moves, reassigning or optioning players down to the minors today.
Being optioned down to AAA Gwinnett were RHP Ian Anderson, LHP Dylan Dodd, RHP Darius Vines, RHP Allan Winans, and RHP Daysbel Hernández.
Following that move, the team reassigned non-roster invitees RHP Ben Bowden, RHP Tommy Doyle, and C Tyler Tolve to minor league camp.
The combinations of moves have left the team with 50 players in camp, all contending for only 26 spots on Opening Day.
Of the pitchers optioned to the minors, there weren't a lot of surprises. Ian Anderson is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and isn't expected back into competitive action until some time after the All-Star Break, while Dodd, Vines, and Winans were all expected to spend the season in AAA Gwinnett until needed for spot starts or bullpen duty at the major league level.
The reassignment of Hernández was a bit of a surprise, only because he was expected to have an outside spot at a bullpen role. Debuting last year, he made the NLDS roster thanks to his velocity, with a fastball that reaches the upper 90s. However, the emergence of former closer Ken Giles, on a minor league deal with Atlanta, made Hernández redundant to open the season.
And so, we continue to watch the action in camp. There are still outstanding position battles that didn't see any clarity after these moves, with multiple candidates still in camp for outfield roles (Eli White, Jordan Luplow) and the #5 starter role (AJ Smith-Shawver, Hurston Waldrep, Bryce Elder).
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