NORTH PORT, Fla. — The Braves further trimmed their roster by four players Friday.
They optioned left-hander Ray Kerr and outfielder J.P. Martinez to Triple-A Gwinnett. They also reassigned right-handers Ken Giles and Hurston Waldrep to minor league camp.
Kerr has a 5.79 ERA in five games this spring, at times showing erratic command. Manager Brian Snitker was complimentary of Kerr, saying he hopes he builds to a point he’s capable of covering multiple innings. Martinez is 2-for-15 (.133) with a double in eight games. Both players were acquired this winter as upper-level organizational depth.
Giles, an accomplished eight-year veteran, generally has impressed in a small sample size. He notched two perfect appearances before a leadoff walk bit him Thursday, leading to a run scoring on a softly hit single.
“We didn’t know coming in what we would see,” manager Brian Snitker said. “We’ve been very impressed with him. And to do right by him, and get him stretched out and built up, it was just getting to a point where there wasn’t consistent enough work. So just get him over there and get himself going again. He’s very receptive to the whole thing. It’s more about where he’s at right now.”
The 33-year-old Giles still could be a factor in the Braves’ bullpen as he builds himself up. He’s made only five MLB appearances – all last season for the Mariners – since the truncated 2020 campaign, in which he only pitched in four games.
“It’s awesome (to have a guy with Giles’ track record),” Snitker said. “We signed him, he hadn’t had a spring training in a while, so we’ve been very pleased and like what we see. We want to keep that going for his sake.”
The Braves have 41 players in camp after reassigning Waldrep to minor-league camp after Friday’s 6-6 tie with the Pirates. The Braves open the regular season March 28 in Philadelphia.
