Injured Braves Could Get Some Help

Injuries appear to be all too regular for the Atlanta Braves.

Ray Kerr, a left-handed pitcher, has become the latest victim of the Tommy John surgery epidemic. The Braves released the Kerr update before the series began against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night. Kerr was optioned back to Triple-A Gwinnett on June 15, following his final appearance against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Help Could Be On The Way For Injured Braves

The #Braves have placed LHP Ray Kerr on the 15-day injured list with a left elbow UCL injury, effective June 16, and voided his option to Triple-A Gwinnett on June 15.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 24, 2024

He pitched one inning, giving up two hits, three walks, and one earned run. When Kerr returned to Gwinnett, he complained of elbow trouble and did not pitch. The 29-year-old southpaw finished the season with a 5.64 ERA over 22 and a third innings, 27 strikeouts, and a 1.61 WHIP, which was below expectations.

Kerr was considered as a hard-throwing lefty who could pitch one to three innings if needed. At one time this season, the Braves pondered putting him a starter to supplement a six-man rotation. Kerr started twice this season for Atlanta and lost each times.

This past offseason, Alex Anthopoulos and the Braves front management recognized something appealing in Kerr. They are forced to absorb four million dollars of Matt Carpenter’s five and a half million dollar debt resulting from a trade with the San Diego Padres. Kerr will stay on the 40-man roster, despite being placed on the 15-day injury list. If a spot is needed, they can move him on the 60-day injured list.

State Of The Rotation And Bullpen

The Braves have struggled with performance as a result of bullpen and starting rotation ailments. Atlanta is still looking for a fifth starter in the rotation and appears to be seeking answers from Charlie Morton. The 40-year-old veteran has struggled to put together consistent outings this season, with a 4.20 ERA to date. He’s also allowed 40 runs in 79.1 innings.

Fortunately, the Braves have benefited from the resurgence of Chris Sale and Reynaldo López. Max Fried is also back to being a front-line ace, finishing 5-2 with a 2.09 ERA over his previous eight outings. Atlanta’s current ERA is 3.60, which ranks sixth in all of baseball. With a bullpen ERA of 3.21, they trail just the Cleveland Guardians and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Lowest ERA by a @Braves pitcher through 13 starts of a season:

Greg Maddux (1994) – 1.41
Reynaldo López (2024) – 1.57 pic.twitter.com/ilZQOg58yS

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 25, 2024

Pitching has been the Atlanta Braves’ strength this season, and it has the ability to improve even more with some key players returning.

 Help is on the horizon.

With Ray Kerr out, he was available to be called up at any time, since the Braves required a left-handed alternative. More good news is that veteran lefty A.J. Minter could be returning shortly. On May 30, Minter was placed on the disabled list for 15 days due to left hip irritation.

He began his rehab assignment on Saturday in High-A Rome, pitching one inning with three strikeouts. Atlanta assigned him to Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday, and if all goes well, Minter may be back in the Braves bullpen shortly. Brian Snitker remarked, “Yeah, I mean, we’ll see how he feels the next day.” Minter has a 2.95 ERA in 21 and third innings across 25 outings before going on the injured list.

Ian Anderson, a former postseason hero, is another pitcher who may return after the All-Star break. Anderson has made significant progress in his return to the major leagues since undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2023. On June 18th, he made his debut start with the FCL Braves, pitching two hitless innings. He faced six hitters and struck out four.

His second start came on June 24th, when he went three innings with three hits, three strikeouts, and one run allowed. Following his outing on Monday, the Braves have sent Anderson to High-A Rome to complete his rehabilitation.

With the fifth starting role still unclaimed by anyone Atlanta has placed in place, the Braves can be hopeful that they will receive someone back who can potentially fill that position. Ian Anderson has an impressive playoff record, going 4-0 with a 1.26 ERA in eight games.

Candidates On The Chopping Block

There is some disappointing news for those already on the major league roster. Daysbel Hernandez, Grant Holmes, and Spencer Schwellenbach are three pitchers that could be sent back down to Triple-A after everything is said and done. Hernandez or Holmes should be sent back down as soon as A.J. Minter finishes his rehab assignment.

With Holmes presumably on the chopping block, his story of finally making his big-league debut after ten years in the minors will be insufficient to keep him around. Both players have performed well enough to justify their stay; nevertheless, both are right-handed pitchers. Atlanta presently has only two left-handed pitchers on their roster: Dylan Lee and Aaron Bummer. Holmes has less major league experience than Hernandez, but that should be enough for Atlanta to make a decision.

Spencer Schwellenbach could possibly be sent back to Triple-A, if Ian Anderson has no setbacks. The 24-year-old has shown signs of promise this season, with his best start coming against the high-flying Baltimore Orioles recently. The Braves’ third-best prospect might benefit from more development time with Hurston Waldrep at Triple-A. With Max Fried’s impending free agency and Charlie Morton’s eventual retirement, next year could be his opportunity to solidify a rotation slot.