After expressing optimism that reliever Chris Martin wouldn’t need time on the injured list, the Braves ultimately put their veteran righty on the 10-day IL on Saturday, retroactive to April 7. Martin left his outing last weekend with what was described as numbness in his fingers, and the team placed him on the IL with the designation of right-shoulder inflammation.
Martin, 34, is a crucial part of the Braves’ bullpen. He’s their best right-handed reliever, reliable since joining the team in July 2019. Martin has a 2.65 ERA with 43 strikeouts against five walks across 41 appearances with the Braves.
Manager Brian Snitker said Friday that Martin was working out, and if all went well, he could be available Saturday. Instead, Martin felt the inflammation in his shoulder and wasn’t ready to return. Snitker said it’s too early to know if Martin could return on his earliest eligible date, which is April 17.
The Braves recalled right-hander Jacob Webb to fill the open roster spot. Webb, 27, has a 1.06 ERA in 44 career appearances. The Braves currently are carrying a 10-man bullpen and four-man bench and don’t plan to alter that approach in the immediate future, Snitker said Friday.
The Braves continue their series against the Phillies at 7:20 p.m. Saturday at Truist Park. They won 8-1 on Friday, their third consecutive win after an 0-4 start.
Notes from Saturday:
- Ronald Acuna doesn’t hit cheapies. His homer Friday went 456 feet and exited at 114.1 mph. Since Statcast started to track data in 2015, Acuna has eight of the 13 farthest home runs by a Braves hitter. He has five of the six hardest-hit home runs, too. Perhaps the most memorable: Acuna’s 473-foot shot off Gerrit Cole in August. There aren’t many players more exciting at the plate than Acuna.
- Snitker mentioned left-hander Sean Newcomb as a pitcher who could work his way into more high-leverage situations. Newcomb, a former starter, looked tremendous in his previous outing against the Nationals, striking out the side. It’s always been the mental element with Newcomb, who possesses tantalizing physical abilities but hasn’t consistently converted that into production. Newcomb’s continued evolution as a reliever will be interesting to follow.
- The Braves have allowed three home runs, fewest in the National League and one off the major-league lead. The team’s early struggles weren’t because of pitching. The Braves’ offense hit the ball to the wrong spots, while the opposition had better luck. That aspect evens out over the course of the season. Already, concerns over the first four games feel long ago as the Braves ride a three-game win streak entering Saturday.
- The Braves are off to a 1-0 start at home after Friday’s victory. They’ve re-established a strong homefield advantage over the past few seasons. Before they went 19-11 at home during the shortened 2020 campaign, they were 93-69 at home from 2018-19.
