We’ll run through a boatload of injury updates from the Senior Circuit as Sunday’s games kick off.
- Diamondbacks southpaw Robbie Ray has been activated from the 10-day injured list, the team announced. The club optioned right-hander Joel Paymaps in a corresponding 25-man move. Ray is back after just ten days away with back spasms to make his 27th start of the season against Milwaukee on Sunday. As always, he’s combined a huge strikeout rate (31.1%) with a few too many walks and longballs to be a true ace, settling in with a solid but not elite 3.99 ERA in 2019.
- Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson completed another rehab game without issue and should be activated from the 10-day injured list tomorrow, tweets MLB.com’s Mark Bowman. The former first overall pick will be a welcome upgrade over the combination of Charlie Culberson and Adeiny Hechavarría, who make up Atlanta’s current shortstop mix. Swanson’s got a solid .265/.330/.468 slash (102 wRC+) for the NL East leaders.
- Marlins right-hander Pablo López is also slated to return to the big leagues tomorrow, tweets Venezuelan baseball writer Daniel Álvarez-Montes (later confirmed by MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro). The 23 year-old was off and running on cementing himself as a part of the Fish’s long-term rotation plans when he went down with a shoulder strain that ultimately cost him two months. On the season, López has logged 76.2 innings with a 4.23 ERA, albeit with more promising strikeout (23.3%) and walk (5.7%) rates.
- In less fortunate news, the Brewers placed right-handed reliever Jeremy Jeffress on the 10-day injured list today with a strained left hip. They’ve recalled fireballing 29 year-old righty Ray Black in his place. Jeffress has had a difficult second half, pitching to a 7.56 ERA in 16.2 innings since the All-Star Break. It’ll be Black’s second MLB stint in Milwaukee since they acquired him and Drew Pomeranz at the deadline for notable infield prospect Mauricio Dubón.
- The Cubs placed left-handed reliever Derek Holland on the 10-day injured list with a left wrist contusion. He sustained the injury when he was struck by a comebacker. Infielder David Bote is back from Triple-A Iowa to replace Holland on the active roster. Bote’s presence was needed to deepen the Cubs’ bench in the absence of star first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who’s day-to-day, tweets Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune. Rizzo left yesterday’s game with back tightness, the club announced.
- Finally, updates on a couple injured Rockies, courtesy of Thomas Harding of MLB.com (Twitter links): veteran right-hander Chad Bettis confirmed he’ll undergo season-ending surgery to correct a right hip impingement, marking the end of a year in which Bettis pitched to a 6.06 ERA. On the other hand, left-hander Kyle Freeland is working through a throwing program in hopes of mounting a late-season comeback from a groin strain, says Harding. Freeland’s 6.98 ERA is one of the chief reasons the Rockies have slumped to a 58-72 record in a year in which they hoped to contend.
Move Swanson to the 2 spot. Better player and hitter than Albies.
Not as a hitter currently
Leave albies where he’s at, make Swanson either swing his way back there or albies lose the spot.
Braves are on a roll, can’t mess with too many things while you’re winning.
Hech has been a godsend to help fend off the gnats and the rest of the east the last 10 days. It could have gotten ugly fast without this winning streak.
Albies has been miserable at the plate lately, chasing pitching, not getting on base, striking out. He is a free swinger, who would be better-suited hitting 5th.
You also act like Swanson wasn’t hitting in the two spot all year prior to the injury. The Braves offense was at its best when he was two.
Albies is the best hitter in the league again lefty pitchers. Since the all star break he’s been one of the key hitters in our line up moving him for a rusty Swanson would only hurt the line up that’s currently working. If Swanson comes back and kills the hall then it’s worth switching them around
Braves need to win their games coming up, after the Nats and Strasbourg massacre the cubs today they have the orioles and that’s a sure sweep. They could be only 3 out by weeks end if Atlanta doesn’t hold off Colorado
Dansbys been out of the game for a month. More than likely his timing will be behind and bad habits can and do creep back. Not everybody can be Chipper and come back and automatically hit a HR in their first AB off the dl.
It’s not the worst thing in the world to have to fight to get your hitting spot back in the lineup, if you ask me it’s a damn good problem to have as a team.
Albies is just a better hitter hitting from the right side of the plate. I understand the idea of letting Swanson hit his way back to the top, but I just can’t watch another Ozzie at-bat right now. Completely unproductive and heavily reminds me of the ’18 Ozzie of the second half.
“chicagofan”
Just an unpleasant thought knowing that the Braves have collapsed before. Shades of 2011 all over again. The Nats and the Phillies have every reason in the world to screw the Braves.
It’s not a collapse when the Nats have been plying other worldly lately. No shame in being beaten by a super hot team
No, it is a collapse.
They’re both 8-2 over the last 10 and Braves have won 7 in a row. Braves have won 10 of last 13, gnats have won 9 of last 13.
Guess I’m not understanding why youre so worried as a Cubs fan.
Sounds pretty neck and neck to me.
Nats have the edge in starting pitching and this current series against the Mets shows how easy it is to calve up Acuna and Albies with good pitching.
The Nats are probably the better team on paper and a more dangerous team in a short series.
Honestly, I don’t have much confidence in the Braves in the postseason, hence why I’m rooting for the Nats to make it so they can beat the Dodgers.
Better team on paper? Ill take the Braves lineup and bullpen 1000/1000 times and Folty is back to his 2018 form now. Ask any pitcher which lineup they would rather face. BP just snapped their 25 scoreless inning streak there in the 9th but water under the bridge.
The way soroka, folty, and keuchel pitched this mets series is how they will have to pitch in any postseason series. Any team that makes it can win it, but rooting for the gnats as a supposed Braves fan, cmon man..
First off, Folty is not back. He pitched his best game this year but he not a definite sure thing yet. Soroka has his innings concern going forward so I’m sure the Braves will be cautious going forward. Teheran, well, I don’t like him, never will. I think that should be pretty well known at this point about my distaste for Teheran.
Offensively, the Braves and Nats are even. Given there positions, I’d take Soto, Rendon, and Turner over Acuna, Donaldson, and Swanson any day of the week. Soto (in my opinion) is better than Acuna and I’m going to stick to that opinion until Acuna learns to make contact. I love Freeman, loved him when he was a rookie, loved him even when people called me a “troll” or whatever adjective back then when I said Heyward is overrated and will not be a better player of the two back when in their rookie seasons. He is the only guy I’d 1000% take over anybody in the baseball at his position.
Braves may have an edge in the bullpen, but the Nats have a far better rotation.
If the Braves don’t win it, I’ll be rooting for the Nats because anybody but the Dodgers (and the Mets).
Calm down, It’s only a make up game against Colorado
@allourgodshaveabandonedus
What do you mean until Acuna learns to make contact? He is hitting .292 with 36 hrs. I think he is making contact…
ROTFL at Soto better than Acuna.
Yes, ‘once he learns to strike out less,’ then Acuna will be the better player of the two. Here we are comparing Acuna with Soto (a fair comparison), but seeing people compare Acuna with Trout is delulu.
Soto is not better than acuna on this world or any other and does not possess the 5 tools acuna brings to the yard. Cmon man, ROY, all star, 2nd fastest to 30/30..
What part of this year’s stats between them makes your point worth even looking up?
Part of me wonders often if you’re just a closet gnats fan obsessed with the Braves?
Acuna most notable strength over Soto is his speed. I’d take Soto’s discipline, on base, and ability to make contact (not strike out) over Acuna. However, as I said, if Acuna improves in the latter area, then Acuna will be the better of the two.
Now that i think about it, comparing Soto and Acuna is similar to why I always thought Freeman would be better than Heyward. Heyward was also supposed to be the next big thing, but I always liked Freeman’s ability to put up better at bats.
Acuna was, is, and always will be the better of the two.. He’s putting up these stats hitting leadoff nonetheless.
As acuna gets older and his legs slow down he just eventually backs down into the 3 spot which will only favor his offensive stats even more batting in front of Freddie for a half decade. He’s just able to take advantage of his 5th tool right now that soto does not have.
As far as Heyward goes, freeman always had him in the mental aspect of always trying to hit up the middle and adjust to where the pitch is at. Freeman has the same approach and confidence at the plate of which chipper had. Heyward lacks that given ability and thus was exposed early in his career and could never make the same adjustments to be a great hitter.
Your latter statement is easy to say right now since we know what kind of hitter Heyward turned out to be.
Trust me, people used to tell me how Heyward will mature and improve and yada yada. It does not surprise me to see him not meet or exceed his expectations because I never expected him to.
You can have your opinion on Acuna, and I’ll stick to mine until otherwise proven wrong. As I said, I like Soto’s approach at the plate more and believe that makes him a better player right now..
Fair enough, letting time tell the tale just like the Allard for Martin trade is just fine with me.
Hopefully this doesn’t cause a whole nother spinoff argument because that ship has sailed lol.
I don’t think Allard has impact stuff to make much of a difference. If Martin pitches well down the stretch, they will resign him. The relief market, in general, is spotty and you never know what you will get year in and year out.
If I were the Braves, I’d go after Bumgarner and see if they want to spend on an arm like Cole. Honestly, they are one true ace away from being an elite team. Right now, the Braves are a good team with a questionable rotation. One thing that excites me heading into 2020 is, Teheran may be gone. Hopefully, they don’t make the mistake to pick up his option.
I like and agree with your 2nd paragraph.
Hopefully Martin will have a great rest of the season and experience in ATL and want to come back for another 2 years w/ a 3rd year option. One thing I love about tall pitchers, they’re durable and always pitching downhill w/ less effort and resistance.
Teheran is a good piece (like Annibal Sanchez) to have during the regular season and nothing more than a reliable 3, 4, or 5 that can show glimpses of greatness and the exact opposite on any start. At 12 mil vs a 1 mil buyout, I see him coming back at a very reduced price to stay with the one and only organization he’s ever known.
Depending on how the postseason goes, braves should try and pry rendon away from their biggest division rival for the next decade (should have never let him get away in the first place) and package Riley in a deal for an ace. If that does happen donaldson is more than likely in Washington for his final 2-3 years.
Knowing the Braves spending ways in the offseason though, they will attempt to bring donaldson back at a bargain given his age and desire to return, attempt to trade Riley for a TOR at the winter meetings, and let Teheran go the way of annibal last season. As for now, definitely count me in on the Cole train, but everything depends on what happens now until November..
I’ve been on the Rendon bandwagon as well, however, no guarantee the Nationals will not try to get him back. With all this financial flexibility talk, signing Albies and Acuna to relatively “cheap” contracts.. if you are going to spend money on a “safe” option, go for a third baseman like Rendon.
All we heard since the new ballpark and rebuild is, “we will wait until we are ready!” Is 2020 not the time to spend (like promised)??
I have a feeling Donaldson will go to the Mets. He literally screams Mets right now.
You should really look up stats before commenting. Albies has been the better hitter between the two.
what world are you living in?
Move him to fifth to start. Between JD and Cisco.
Ummm….it’s pretty fortunate news that Jeffress went on the IL for the brewers. He has been awful second half of the season. (Assuming this injury is nothing serious.)
All these injury updates, and not even have one with Kolten Wong. Wong is day-to-day with a ball hitting his toe.
Because the Cardinals are trash
If you are so enamored by Soto and the Nats Starters then you have the blessing of BRAVESCOUNTRY to switch allegiances and become a Nats fan. We are as close to having the best record in the NL as the Nats are to us so please don’t hate. If you don’t like the Braves anymore just keep it to yourself.
Sorry, my lack of homerism offends you.
Oh and I would like to see you change your handle to AllMyCommonSenseHasAbandonedMe
Not being a homer or saying you are or aren’t. It’s just a great time to be a Braves fan. I just look at it that way.