Braves Bring Veteran Arm Back into Fold to Aid Bullpen

The Atlanta Braves pulled the trigger on another move to get a fresh arm in the bullpen. They announced Saturday morning that they had selected right-hander Carlos Carrasco to the 40-man roster. In a corresponding move, they optioned Anthony Molina to Triple-A Gwinnett.

Molina heads back to the minor leagues after delivering two scoreless innings for the Braves during their comeback win over the Colorado Rockies on Friday night. He’s likely not available for the next couple of days, hence the move for another long reliever. 

The pressure on the bullpen this season has required the team to cycle through a number of arms over just the first month and change alone. Twenty different pitchers have already seen the mound for the team, and the calendar just turned to May. 

Last year, they used 46 total. So, they’re almost halfway there. 

Injuries have been a constant issue on the pitching side. The bullpen is without closer Raisel Iglesias due to a shoulder injury, and they’ve lost Dylan Dodd as an option due to a back injury. 

Carrasco had recently been designated for assignment and re-signed on a minor league contract after he initially elected free agency. He’s made one appearance with the big league team this season, pitching a scoreless ninth inning on April 23. 

Down in Triple-A, Carrasco possesses a 1.71 ERA across four starts. 

We’ll see what further moves come over the weekend. Spencer Strider is set to be activated from the injured list ahead of his season debut on Sunday. He’s back from recovering from an oblique injury. 

Someone will have to go to make room for Strider. Who sees action on Saturday and for how many innings will likely play a role in who is removed from the roster. 

The Braves fell behind 6-0 on Friday night, but rallied to win 8-6 out in Colorado. They resume action on Saturday with a chance to win yet another series. Chris Sale is on the mound for an 8:10 p.m.