The Braves added more potential bullpen help by trading cash considerations to the Astros for minor league left-hander Mitchell Lambson, who has pitched well in Triple-A and could be brought to the majors soon.
Lambson, who’ll be 25 in two weeks, has a 2.60 ERA in 24 appearances this season in Double-A and Triple-A, with 30 strikeout and nine walks in 34 2/3 innings. That included 13 appearances at Triple-A Fresno, where he allowed 15 hits, five runs and five walks with 12 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings.
That was his first experience at the Triple-A level, and in his past seven appearances Lambson allowed just one run in 11 innings, including long-relief appearances of 2 2/3 innings on June 14 and three innings on June 27.
A 19th-round pick in the 2011 draft out of Arizona State University, Lambson is 19-13 with a 2.79 ERA and an impressive 1.10 WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) in 150 relief appearances over past five seasons, with 265 strikeouts and 61 walks in 242 innings. He has been effective against left-handed and right-handed batters, and actually produced better statistics against righties for most of his minor league career.
The Braves traded for Lambson on Sunday, the same day they designated for assignment the contracts of struggling veteran relievers Nick Masset, who had a 6.46 ERA in 20 appearances for Atlanta, and lefty Dana Eveland, who had a 5.40 ERA and 2.40 WHIP in 10 appearances for the Braves.
Those two spots in the bullpen were filled Sunday when the Braves called up right-handers Arodys Vizcaino and David Carpenter from Triple-A Gwinnett. Luis Avilan is currently the only lefty in the Braves bullpen.
Lefty reliever Andrew McKirahan isn’t eligible to return until July 20 from an 80-game performance-enhancing drug suspension. The Braves could move rookie lefty Manny Banuelos from the rotation to the bullpen when starter Williams Perez returns from the 15-day disabled list after the All-Star break, but they haven’t disclosed whether they intend to do that or have Perez go to the bullpen.
