Lucas Sims’ bid for one of the final spots in the Braves’ opening-day bullpen was diminished after his past two appearances including Thursday, when he had one of the roughest outings of this spring training.
Sims started a Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals and was rocked for four hits, eight runs (six earned), four walks and two homers in just three innings of an 8-2 loss at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.
This after he gave up five hits and four runs in three innings Saturday against the Phillies. A 2012 first-round draft pick from Brookwood High School, Sims has a 10.13 ERA in six games, including two starts.
“You give guys opportunities and you want them to run with them,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t.”
The Braves will open the season with an eight-man bullpen, and six pitchers appear to be certainties: Arodys Vizcaino, Jose Ramirez, Peter Moylan, left-handers A.J. Minter and Sam Freeman, and Dan Winkler, who needs to spend about the first two weeks on the 25-man roster to fulfill Rule 5 Draft requirements.
That would leave two spots up for grabs, with Scott Kazmir expected to have one of them as a long reliever before moving into the rotation as a fifth starter by April 10 and possibly staying in the rotation at least until Luiz Gohara returns from a sprained ankle, which could be as soon as late April.
Others competing for a long-relief/spot starter job include recently signed veteran Anibal Sanchez, who was impressive in his first outing and will pitch again Friday; and former starting-pitcher prospects Aaron Blair, who’s been pretty good all spring after reporting in much better condition, and Matt Wisler, who’s been solid in most of his spring outings.
The Braves could also opt to go with only one long reliever and give the other spot to left-hander Rex Brothers, who has a 9.00 ERA this spring but has still drawn plenty of praise from Snitker, including Friday when he struck out two in a scoreless inning.
One member of the opening-day bullpen could be supplanted soon by right-hander Chase Whitley. The Alabama native was expected to be in the opening-day roster but will start the season on the 10-day disabled list after being sidelined with an infection in his foot for part of the spring. He will pitch in games next week in Florida and could be activated as soon as April 5, an off day on the Braves’ schedule before an April 6 series opener at Colorado.
Sims’ candidacy has sputtered, but Snitker remains an advocate of the Lawrenceville native, whom he also managed in the minor leagues. Sims was a former consensus Top 100 prospect who rose as high as No. 40 in Baseball Prospectus’ rankings in 2014 and No. 57 in Baseball America’s Top 100 that same year.
“Lucas’ command … I mean, I don’t know if he had any (Thursday),” Snitker said. “Really, I can’t even quantify it. Do I still believe in the kid? Absolutely. I think he’s got a chance of being a part of our bullpen somewhere or a potential kid to start. Rough outing for him; had a couple in a row. I don’t know. We keep playing these games and then at some point in time we’re going to have to make a decision.
“(His lack of) command was glaring, pretty much. Just got to, good, bad or ugly, get the ball over the plate better.”
