The Braves added a pair of former Phillies off waivers Friday: outfielder Kyle Garlick and reliever Victor Arano. Both players were designated for assignment earlier in the week.
Garlick, who turns 29 in a few days, has played 42 games across the past two seasons with the Dodgers and Phillies. He was a minor leaguer with the Dodgers when Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos was part of the Los Angeles front office.
While Garlick has struggled in his short time in the majors – hitting .214/.276/.414 with three homers and 26 strikeouts against five walks in 70 at-bats – he showed promise in the minors. Garlick hit 40 homers over the 2018-19 seasons in Triple-A. He could provide some pop off the bench if he makes the season active roster.
Arano, 25, spent parts of the 2017-19 seasons with the Phillies. But he appeared in only three games in 2019 and missed last season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow. His production before the injury is intriguing: Arano had a 2.73 ERA in 60 games during the 2018 season. He boasts a career strikeout rate of 9.6 per nine innings in 73 appearances.
Both players have shown enough to warrant curiosity. The Braves will carry them into camp – which opens in less than a month – and see if either earns a spot on the roster. The team has openings on its bench and in its bullpen.
The Braves’ 40-man roster is full after the additions.
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