The Braves have signed right-hander Taylor Widener to a minor league deal, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. The righty has been assigned to Triple-A Gwinnett for now but could perhaps be in big league camp as a non-roster invitee.
Widener, 29, was drafted by the Yankees but was sent to the Diamondbacks in the complex three-team deal involving Brandon Drury, Steven Souza Jr. and others. He went on to toss 107 2/3 innings for the Snakes from 2020 to 2022 with an earned run average of 4.26. He struck out 22.3% of batters faced but also gave out walks at an 11% clip. His .274 batting average on balls in play and 80.8% strand rate were both on the lucky side of average, leading to a 5.54 FIP and 4.68 SIERA that weren’t as impressive as his ERA.
He was outrighted by the Diamondbacks in January and ended up spending the most recent season in South Korea, pitching for two different clubs in the Korea Baseball Organization. He started with the NC Dinos but was released in August and then signed with the Samsung Lions. Between the two clubs, he tossed 115 innings over 20 starts and one relief appearance. He had a combined ERA of 4.54 in that time, striking out 20% of batters while walking 8.1% and keeping 60.4% of balls in play on the ground.
Widener was working exclusively out of the bullpen in 2022 but was mostly back in a starting gig in 2023. It’s unknown if Atlanta prefers him in one role or the other but they might like the flexibility. They signed reliever Reynaldo López this offseason and will reportedly stretch him out in the spring, with the plan of moving him back to the bullpen if he doesn’t win a rotation job.
The club currently projects to have a rotation of Spencer Strider, Max Fried, Charlie Morton and Bryce Elder, with López in the mix for a spot at the back alongside guys like AJ Smith-Shawver and Huascar Ynoa. Widener will give the club a non-roster option in that competition or perhaps in their relief mix. If he gets a roster spot at any point, he still has a couple of options remaining.
Minor league depth or emergency BP that’s all… perhaps part of a trade package.
Obvious step preceding the big acquisition of a legit Starter to help advance past the 1st round of the playoffs….Just reading the tea leaves people! Don’t shoot the messenger.
Finally the starter they need to win 1 more game in the DS before losing in the DS for the 3rd straight season
You suck. Always have, always will.
please see me wager above..put your money where your mouth is
Many people like to dismiss these types of moves, but it’s important to remember that the Braves used 32 pitchers in each of the last two years, and 50+ total players each year. All 26 spots on the active roster are important. All 40 spots on the 40 man roster are important. And minor league depth beyond the 40 man roster is important. injuries happen, trades happen, players become ineffective. You never know when a seemingly inconsequential signing like this can benefit the team in an unexpected way
Right On! Agree 100%!
Atlanta ball club is already a lock for playoffs, they can wait until mid season to pickup a strong rental starter for the postseason
Like this move for depth
like who?…who have the Braves picked up mid-season of substance recently?
Duvall, Pederson, Rosario, Soler and Raisel Iglesias
literally none of those are “rental starters” you mentioned lol
@braveshomer: Pierce Johnson.
is Pierce Johnson a stater? I thought he was a bullpen guy from Colorado
You asked “who have the Braves picked up mid-season of substance recently?” You didn’t specify “starter.” Johnson was excellent after coming over from the Rockies.
Gotcha, well I meant Starter in response to Manny saying they can trade for a Rental Starter….which has not happened in quite awhile. Sure they traded for a couple of bodies but not a difference maker starter, not even an above average Starter
Braves FO: *signs minor league pitcher*
Braves “fans”: How is this guy supposed to win us a World Series!!!!
Exactly!…your sarcasm simply parrots mine but with the same exact end results lol. So what’s the difference?!?!
Just seen an article online that’s suggests Ian Anderson could be back mid season 2024.
That’s been the expected return timeline.
Will he be middle of the pack Anderson or once in his life Anderson?
I’m getting impatient I want another big time starting pitcher already. We taking on all this dead money and these minor deals and nothing on the staring pitching front yet.
Fortunately for you and all impatient fans, the Braves front office works every day at improving EVERY facet of the team.
The Braves are not going to get a big time starting pitcher this off season.
Braves will not make a big splash. Name the last time a big splash has happened? Riley is the largest contract we’ve ever signed and I would t call that number a big splash. They don’t do that. They make use of names people don’t know and develop guys from within then let them walk in free agency if they don’t sign early extensions.
Austin Riley and Matt Olson are a combined $370 million, those are big splashes for a mid-market team
Maybe AA has a deal with Yamamoto and is putting together a Double Secret Probation Baseball Team with minor leagers, PTBNL’s, to trade to the Orix Japanese Baseball team in lieu of the posting fee for Yamamoto! Yeah, that’s the ticket! Now it all makes sense! Genuis moves!
Aiken, SC’s own.
Pretty much coming home for him. I love him with the Gamecocks.
I will wager a legit bet against any 2 other Commentors on here…RunDmC, SteelerBraveNation, TradeAcuna…etc. whoever will wager?
I will bet $50 per x2 bets via CashApp that when Pitchers/Catchers report by February 15th, 2024…that the Braves won’t have Cease, Snell, Yomomato, Corbin, Beiber on their roster…nor will they have Fried extended by then.
Spelled Yamamoto and I agree he will not be in Atlanta
He once was a man with dignity and grace (and potential), but now, he’s slipping through the cracks of MLB’s cold embrace.
genius.com/Alec-benjamin-let-me-down-slowly-lyrics
This is the most boring off season of all time!
Ohtani, Soto, Nola, Lee, Yamamoto, Snell, Montgomery, Bellinger, Chapman, Hader, and Kershaw all disagree
Slow day with FA news
Whether Widener can widen the Braves’ division title streak remains to be seen
Widener?! I hardly know her!