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Braves' Bryan De La Cruz: Looks ready for Opening Day
De La Cruz is batting .297 (11-for-37) through 15 Grapefruit League appearances with a 3:6 BB:K.
While the 28-year-old outfielder hasn't left the yard yet this spring, three of De La Cruz's hits have been doubles. The former Marlin is in line to handle the short side of a platoon in right field alongside Jarred Kelenic while Ronald Acuna completes his recovery from knee surgery, a role that should suit De La Cruz -- he slashed .285/.309/.425 in 188 plate appearances against left-handed pitching last year, versus a .210/.254/.365 line off righties in 433 PAs.
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Braves' Hector Neris: Making case for bullpen spot
Neris gave up a hit and a walk over a scoreless inning in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies.
The veteran right-hander got the start in a bullpen day for Atlanta, and Neris was able to work around a Johan Rojas leadoff double. He's only made two spring appearances since signing an NRI deal in early March, but Neris has gotten up to speed fairly quickly and seems in line to begin the season with a spot on the 26-man roster, although he may work in middle relief rather than getting handed a setup role in front of closer Raisel Iglesias.
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Braves' Daysbel Hernandez: Rounding into form
Hernandez gave up a hit and a walk over 1.1 scoreless innings while striking out four in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies.
While Alec Bohm was the only likely Opening Day starter in the Philadelphia lineup, Hernandez carved up the bench players and minor leaguers he did get to face. The right-hander was still a little erratic, however -- he plunked one batter and also uncorked a wild pitch. Atlanta is hoping Hernandez can emerge as a high-leverage option this season, but he'll need to sharpen his control to take that next step after posting a 32:13 K:BB through his first 21.2 big-league innings.
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Braves' Marcell Ozuna: Belts third homer of spring
Ozuna went 1-for-2 with a walk, a two-run home run and a second run scored in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies.
The veteran slugger took Kyle Tyler deep in the fifth inning, giving Ozuna his third long ball of the spring. While his .229 batting average (8-for-35) in Grapefruit League play isn't impressive, Ozuna seems to have his timing down at the plate -- five of those hits have gone for extra bases, and he sports a sharp 4:4 BB:K.
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Braves' Jurickson Profar: Looks healthy in leadoff spot
Profar went 2-for-4 with a double in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies.
Seeing his first Grapefruit League action since March 8 after recovering from a wrist injury, Profar slotted immediately back into the leadoff spot and wasted no time showing he was healthy by rapping a first-inning two-bagger off Nabil Crismatt. After a breakout 2024 campaign with the Padres, the switch-hitting Profar signed a three-year contract with Atlanta over the winter and should slot in atop a potent batting order for at least the early part of the season, until Ronald Acuna (knee) is ready to rejoin the lineup.
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Braves' AJ Smith-Shawver: Could be part of initial rotation
Smith-Shawver was bumped from his Grapefruit League start Thursday and will pitch instead against the Rays on Friday, a move that suggests he's being put on schedule to start March 31 against the Dodgers, Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Atlanta begins the regular season with seven straight games before getting a day off, and with the workloads for Chris Sale and Reynaldo Lopez both under scrutiny, it seems likely the team will use a six-man rotation during that stretch. Smith-Shawver has been battling Ian Anderson for the fifth starter job, so the fact that he might work game No. 5 could be a sign he's in the lead for that assignment, although the battle looks like it will extend into the regular season. The 22-year-old top prospect has also been more effective than Anderson this spring -- Smith-Shawver has a dazzling 18:3 K:BB through 12 innings without allowing a homer, while Anderson has issued a ghastly 18 walks against only eight strikeouts in 17 Grapefruit League frames. Whoever winds up filling the last spot in the rotation once it's trimmed down to five may only be keeping it warm for Spencer Strider (elbow), who is targeting an April debut in 2025.
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Braves' Luke Williams: Outrighted to Triple-A
Williams cleared waivers Thursday and was sent outright to Triple-A Gwinnett.
Williams was battling for a spot on Atlanta's Opening Day bench in spring training, but he ultimately missed the cut after going 5-for-32 with three RBI and five runs scored in 16 games. He doesn't have any minor-league options remaining, so his demotion to Triple-A will cost him his spot on the 40-man roster, which only makes it that much harder for him to work his way back into the big leagues.
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Braves' Alex Verdugo: Inks $1.5 million deal with Atlanta
Atlanta signed Verdugo to a one-year, $1.5 million contract and optioned him to Triple-A Gwinnett, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Verdugo's free-agent market has been quiet all winter, but he's finally managed to land a major-league deal a week before Opening Day. It's not clear when Verdugo might be able to play, and by the time he's ready Ronald Acuna (knee) may have already rejoined the Atlanta lineup, so the 28-year-old could be viewed purely as corner outfield insurance by Atlanta. Verdugo slashed only .233/.291/.356 across 149 regular-season games for the Yankees in 2024.
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Braves' Austin Riley: Slugs second spring homer
Riley went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees.
The third baseman took Fernando Cruz deep in the sixth inning for the first runs of the game after Spencer Schwellenbach and Carlos Carrasco engaged in a pitcher's duel through the first part of the contest. It was Riley's second homer of the spring, and a good sign that the pitch he took off his right hand over the weekend won't be a lingering issue. Through 14 Grapefruit League appearances, Riley is batting .294 (10-for-34) with a 3:9 BB:K and three doubles in addition to his long balls.
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Braves' Spencer Schwellenbach: Blanks Yanks in dominant start
Schwellenbach gave up two hits and a walk over six scoreless innings while striking out 10 in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees.
The right-hander built up to 78 pitches (57 strikes) in a dominant outing against a Yankees lineup that featured Aaron Judge, Austin Wells and a bunch of bench players and minor leaguers. The level of competition doesn't take away from Schwellenbach's performance though, as he didn't even allow a runner to reach second base. With Opening Day on the horizon, Schwellenbach seems more than ready, having posted a 2.41 ERA and eye-popping 26:2 K:BB through 18.2 Grapefruit League innings.
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Braves' Jurickson Profar: Slated to return to action Thursday
Profar (wrist) is scheduled to return to Atlanta's Grapefruit League lineup Thursday versus the Phillies, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Profar hasn't played since March 8 due to a bone bruise in his left wrist, but he resumed taking batting practice this week and will return to game action Thursday. The 32-year-old is slated to play in the rest of Atlanta's Grapefruit League contests as he gears up for Opening Day.
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Braves' Craig Kimbrel: Headed to Atlanta on MiLB deal
Kimbrel signed a minor-league contract with Atlanta on Tuesday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.
Kimbrel showed flashes of his old self with the Orioles last year, but inconsistency led him to finish the season with a 5.33 ERA and 1.36 WHIP across 52.1 innings while converting 23 of his 29 save opportunities. Now entering his age-37 season, the right-hander will get another chance to prove he can still perform at a high level with the organization that drafted him back in 2008. Even if Kimbrel makes his way back into the majors, fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to perform anywhere near the level he was at when he last wore an Atlanta uniform.
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Braves' Michael Harris: Three hits in Monday's contest
Harris went 3-for-3 with a run scored and a stolen base in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox.
The center fielder is heating up at the plate at the right time. Harris is batting .324 (11-for-34) this spring with two homers, two steals and a 1:6 BB:K, and he figures to hit fifth or sixth this season when the Atlanta lineup is at full strength. If he can stay healthy, Harris could be poised for his first career 20-20 campaign -- he has yet to play more than 138 games in a regular season since making his MLB debut in 2022.
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Braves' Daysbel Hernandez: Seems set for bullpen role
Hernandez appears to have a secure spot in the Atlanta bullpen following Monday's trade of Angel Perdomo to the Angels, Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
The 28-year-old righty hasn't dominated this spring, but his 8:3 K:BB through 7.1 Grapefruit League innings offers a glimpse at his potential. Hernandez will likely begin the season in middle relief, with Pierce Johnson, Aaron Bummer and Dylan Lee as the primary setup men to closer Raisel Iglesias.
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Braves' Aaron Bummer: Clean spring so far
Bummer has a 0.00 ERA and 4:1 K:BB through five Grapefruit League innings.
The southpaw will be part of Atlanta's setup crew this season, along with right-hander Pierce Johnson and fellow lefty Dylan Lee. Bummer recorded a career-high 27 holds back in 2019 with the White Sox, and he could approach that number in 2025 given his impressive stuff -- he generated a 43.9 percent whiff rate with his sweeper last season, and no pitcher in baseball had a lower barrel rate allowed than his 1.3 percent.
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Braves' Dylan Lee: Locked into setup role
Lee will begin the season as one of the primary setup men ahead of closer Raisel Iglesias in the Atlanta bullpen, Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Pierce Johnson will be the team's main right-handed setup option, while Lee and Aaron Bummer will handle high-leverage innings from the left side. Lee has cruised through camp, posting a 7:1 K:BB through five Grapefruit League innings, and he could be poised to shatter his previous career high of nine holds, set in 2022 and tied in 2024.
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Braves' Anderson Pilar: May not stick in bullpen
Pilar could be squeezed out of a bullpen spot with Atlanta, Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Atlanta dealt Angel Perdomo to the Angels on Monday, but that still may not leave a spot open for Pilar. The Rule 5 pick hasn't looked ready for the majors in spring training despite flashing his upside -- while he's struck out 12 batters in 5.2 Grapefruit League innings, he's also issued six walks and given up nine earned runs. If the team elects to keep AJ Smith-Shawver as a sixth starter or long reliever, it could come at Pilar's expense. The 27-year-old right-hander would need to be offered back to the Marlins if he isn't on the 26-man roster.
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Braves' AJ Smith-Shawver: Impressing in camp
Smith-Shawver, who struck out eight over four innings in Saturday's Grapefruit League start against the Twins, could make the Opening Day roster even if Atlanta also carries Grant Holmes and Ian Anderson, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
He gave up two runs on six hits and zero walks in his most recent start, building up to a spring-high 75 pitches (55 strikes). Smith-Shawver seems to be a better bet than Anderson to provide fantasy value if given the opportunity, and Bowman notes that Atlanta plays seven straight days to open the season, so it could make sense for the team to break camp with six starters in case any of the first five stumble and length is needed from the bullpen. Anderson being out of options tips the scales in his favor, but Smith-Shawver's standout spring training shouldn't be overlooked. He has specifically impressed by leaning on his secondary pitches when he gets behind in counts, showing that he can throw all four pitches for strikes.
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2024 Team Statistical Rankings
| Avg | R | HR | ERA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team |
.243 (15th) |
704 (15th) |
213 (4th) |
3.49 (1st) |
Injuries
| Player | Injury |
|---|---|
| R. Acuna RF Ronald Acuna RF | Knee |
| S. Strider SP Spencer Strider SP | Elbow |
| S. Murphy C Sean Murphy C | Ribs |
| I. Alvarez 3B Ignacio Alvarez 3B | Wrist |
| J. Jimenez RP Joe Jimenez RP | Knee |
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