Braves Working On Alberto Callaspo Trade

TODAY: Callaspo said last that the club gave him no indication that a deal had actually been struck, as David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Per Callaspo, the club told him that he was scratched from the lineup because “there might be a possible trade.” But he was not advised that a transaction would necessarily occur today: “No, they didn’t tell me that,” he said. “They just said, ‘Let’s wait until tomorrow and see what happens.’”

Callaspo’s time in Atlanta may be finished even if a deal cannot be arranged, Bowman writes. Callaspo could end up designated for assignment when Chris Johnson is activated from the DL.

YESTERDAY: The Braves are attempting to deal infielder Alberto Callaspo, manager Fredi Gonzalez told reporters including MLB.com’s Mark Bowman (Twitter link). That explains why the veteran was held out of tonight’s just-concluded ballgame.

It’s obviously unusual to hear a manager divulge such information when a transaction has (apparently) yet to be formalized, which would seem to suggest that a roster move is all but inevitable at this point. Presumably, Atlanta is looking to find a taker for some portion of Callaspo’s remaining salary.

Callaspo, 32, signed a one-year, $3MM deal to join the Braves this offseason. He has seen plenty of action, most of it at third base. But the results have not been there: over 123 plate appearances, Callaspo has slashed just .206/.293/.252 with one home run. That continues a rough stretch dating back to the start of 2014, though Callaspo has maintained his outstanding plate discipline and ability to make contact.

Of course, the switch-hitter does have a deeper history of producing approximately league-average results while providing some versatility around the infield. It has been a while now, but back in 2011-12, Callaspo combined solid offensive production with sterling defensive ratings to grade out at better than three wins above replacement annually.