Braves make a flurry of initial spring training roster changes in order

The Braves reduced their roster for the first time in Spring Training today, optioning Ian Anderson, Dylan Dodd, Daysbel Hernández, Darius Vines, and Allan Winans to Gwinnett.

There aren’t too many startling moves here. The most notable is Daysbel Hernández. He was potentially in the discussion for one of the final bullpen spots, but given how Ken Giles has looked thus far in Spring Training, this isn’t surprising.

Ian Anderson will begin the year on the 60-day injured list as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. The other three, Dylan Dodd, Darius Vines, and Allan Winans, are anticipated to be regulars in Gwinnett’s rotation this season. All are young pitchers that could get a spot start in Atlanta this season, but they won’t be on the Opening Day roster.

The final slot in the rotation appears to be between Reynaldo Lopez, AJ Smith-Shawver, and Bryce Elder and Hurston Waldrep. There are four talented arms battling for one roster slot, demonstrating the Braves’ outstanding beginning pitching depth.

The Falcons have been linked to nearly every quarterback projected to be available this offseason.

Kirk Cousins and Justin Fields have been the most often used quarterbacks for Atlanta, and they both provide unique strengths to the team.

The veteran will provide the Falcons with a quarterback capable of winning now. However, it will only provide a temporary solution. Fields, on the other hand, has the potential to be the next franchise quarterback, but there is a chance that he will not reach his full potential.

Baker Mayfield provides a touch of both. He’s young enough to be a long-term solution, unlike Cousins, and he has a much better ceiling than Fields. Aside from the Falcons trading up for one of the best quarterback prospects in the draft, to be Atlanta’s top targets.
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According to Jeremy Fowler, the consensus among league observers is that the Falcons will acquire one of Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield, or Justin Fields.

“As one league source put it, Atlanta has done enough work on Fields, Cousins and Baker Mayfield that the chances of coming away with one of them are fairly good.”

I’d bet that one of those three is the Falcons’ Week 1 starter since I still feel the Bears, Commanders, and Patriots will select quarterbacks. The only way one of Cousins, Mayfield, or Fields doesn’t start in 2024 is if the Falcons locate the right player in the draft.