LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – When the Braves released veteran Freddy Garcia on Monday afternoon, the move was met with surprise and confusion by most in the clubhouse. After all, the team has had a rash of injuries to starting pitchers and he could've provided experience to an otherwise youthful opening-day rotation.
It wasn’t until a few hours later, when news trickled out that the Braves had agreed to terms with veteran starter Aaron Harang, that the move made any sense. Harang had asked for and been granted his release earlier Monday by the Indians, after they told him a day earlier that he wasn’t going to make the opening-day roster.
Harang, 35, is less than two years younger than Garcia and hasn’t been much more effective in recent seasons. But he impressed scouts more this spring while posting a 2.00 ERA in four games (two starts) for the Indians. And so, the Braves said goodbye to Garcia.
“They don’t want to pick up the (contract),” said Garcia, who would’ve been guaranteed $1.25 million if he’d made the opening day roster. “I’ve got to go.”
The Braves are expected to go with a four-man opening day rotation of Julio Teheran, second-year left-hander Alex Wood, rookie David Hale and Harang. Hale gave up 12 hits and six runs with two walks and two wild pitches in 5-1/3 innings Monday night against the Astros.
Recently signed Ervin Santana will join the Braves rotation in the second week of the season. Left-hander Mike Minor (shoulder tendintitis) and veteran Gavin Floyd (Tommy John surgery) are expected to join the rotation on or soon after April 20. But for now, the Braves’ only surplus starter is rookie sidearmer Gus Schlosser.
“Our depth should change drastically three weeks into the season,” Wren said.
Garcia said: “I tried the best I can. They decided to go another way. Good luck. Hopefully everything will go fine for them.”
The move raised some eyebrows earlier Mondayt in the clubhouse, where most players believed the popular Venezuelan known as “The Chief” was assured a spot after season-ending elbow surgeries for Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy and Minor’s sore shoulder that put him on the 15-day disabled list.
Some arriving players were surprised to see Garcia packing his belongings. Many hugged the big right-hander.
“He did everything we asked him to. He really did,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “He’s a guy that is loved in the clubhouse. Guys really enjoy playing with him.”
Braves decision-makers thought Garcia, 37, had lost too much on his fastball and other pitches as well.
Garcia had a stipulation in the minor league free-agent contract that he signed in January that required the Braves to add him to the major league roster by March 25 (Tuesday) or allow him to become a free agent. He had said he would have been glad to go to the bullpen if the Braves wanted him to, but reiterated that he wouldn’t pitch in the minors.
He would like to keep pitching, but “I want to go home right now,” said Garcia, whose wife had a baby two weeks ago.
Garcia bounced back from a couple of bad starts to pitch 5 1/3 innings Sunday in a 4-1 win against the split-squad Mets, allowing two hits and one unearned run with one walk and four strikeouts.
Once a hard-throwing ace, Garcia’s fastball is down in the mid-80 mph range these days and he relies on change of speed and pitch movement to keep hitters off-balance.
Garcia had a 4.76 ERA in five spring starts, all of his nine earned runs allowed coming in consecutive starts March 8-13. His wife went into labor just before he took the mound March 8 against the Marlins and he said later he tried to hurry through the outing so he could drive to Miami and be with her (he gave up six hits, six runs and four walks in 2 2/3 innings).
He spent much of last season with the Orioles’ Triple-A affiliate, but was traded to the Braves in August and posted a 1.65 ERA in six September games. Gonzalez turned to him to start Game 4 with the Braves facing elimination in the division series against the Dodgers.
Garcia allowed two runs and eight hits in six innings and was in line for win against Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw until Juan Uribe’s two-run homer off David Carpenter.
More cuts: The Braves cut five others from the spring-training roster, optioning lefty reliever Ryan Buchter and outfielders Jose Constanza and Joey Terdoslavich to Triple-A Gwinnett and re-assigning infielders Tyler Green and Tommy La Stella to minor league camp. The moves left 29 on the camp roster, and left utility man Tyler Pastornicky to fill the last bench spot and either Ian Thomas or Atahualpo Severino as a second lefty reliever to complement Luis Avilan. Schlosser could also fill the last bullpen spot as a long reliever/spot starter.
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