Gavin Floyd has been assured he’ll be activated from the disabled list Sunday, but the veteran starting pitcher hasn’t been told what his role will be. For good reason, said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez.
"We don't know," Gonzalez said, meaning team officials haven't decided. "But he'll be activated Sunday. We'll see how we use him, what role and that kind of stuff. I think we'll get a clearer picture by then."
Floyd is in the 52nd week of rehab from Tommy John elbow surgery, and will have used up the maximum 30 days of his rehab assignment. So the Braves need to activate the 31-year-old right-hander. Problem is, when they signed him to a one-year, $4 million contract this winter, they thought they would have a spot for him in their rotation when he was ready.
What they hadn’t figured on was a majors-leading ERA from their starters through the first month of the season. Rookie David Hale was bumped from the rotation to make room for left-hander Mike Minor, who came off the DL to start Friday against the Giants. (Rookie reliever Gus Schlosser was optioned to Triple-A to make room on the 25-man roster for Minor.)
But the remaining starters – Aaron Harang, Ervin Santana, Julio Teheran, Alex Wood – have all been outstanding so far. Unless the Braves decide to move Wood to the bullpen to monitor his innings counts, which doesn’t seem likely at this time, it looks as if Floyd might be put in the bullpen for the time being.
“There’s guys that are pitching really well so far” in the rotation, Floyd said. “What’s going to happen, I don’t know. It’s a decision they’re going to have to make. I’m staying mentally ready for being a starter, but I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Floyd has a 70-70 caree record and 4.48 ERA in 199 games including 187 starts. He made 11 relief appearances early in his career with the Phillies and White Sox, but Floyd has pitched in relief just once since 2008.
He made it clear Friday that he would prefer to start, but also knows it’s not an easy situation for the Braves.
“I’ve been a starter all my career,” he said. “I don’t know. To have surgery, come back, and feel the way I feel, feel really good, if I’d have gone into surgery expecting to be where I am now and demand anything…It’s just one of those things where I feel thankful just to be able to pitch again. But obviously my heart’s (with) being a starter.”
