LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — In two rounds of cuts over a three-day span, the Braves trimmed 13 pitchers, including eight relievers, from their previously unwieldy spring-training roster.
It’s becoming a lot clearer how the opening-day bullpen will shake out.
A trio of relievers was sent to the minors on Monday when right-hander Chris Withrow was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett, lefty Matt Marksberry was optioned to Double-A, Mississippi, and lefty Hunter Cervenka, a non-roster invitee, was reassigned to minor league camp.
“Early in camp those relievers were going almost like a starters’ schedule – throw an inning, two days off, throw a side, another two days, then pitch,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “Now we’re going to start to try to see them every other day, we’re going to try to pitch them back-to-back (days). The starters are going longer innings-wise, so it’s getting tougher to take a look at our guys that we think are in the mix.”
The Marksberry and Cervenka moves left three lefties in camp: veterans Ian Krol and Alex Torres and Rule 5 Draft pick Evan Rutckyj. Krol and Torres are thought to be the leaders for an expected two lefty relief jobs.
The Braves could carry an extra reliever early, since they won’t need a fifth starter until April 12 in the seventh game.
Three other spots in the bullpen will presumably go to Arodys Vizcaino, Jim Johnson and hard-throwing Jose Ramirez, the only player in camp who is out of minor-league options and thus can’t be sent to the minors without clearing waivers.
If veteran closer Jason Grilli is ready, he’ll be on the opening-day roster. He’s coming back from Achilles tendon surgery and was to pitch in his second simulated game Monday. Grilli hasn’t appeared in a Grapefruit League game but could this week.
That might leave one or two bullpen spots available for opening day, depending whether the Braves carry an extra reliever. Gonzalez likes to have a versatile reliever who can pitch multiple innings, and the Braves’ leading candidates for that role appear to be Williams Perez and well-traveled veteran Carlos Torres.
Right-handers Dan Winkler and Alexi Ogando are also candidates for the opening-day bullpen. Winkler is a former Rule 5 Draft pick who has to stay on the roster for the first couple of months or be offered back to Colorado for $25,000.
