Braves Rumors: Dylan Dodd getting his last shot?
The bullpen games were clearly not a viable option for the Atlanta Braves moving forward after the two most recent iterations ended up in losses for the club. It was something that manager Brian Snitker clearly wanted to try and move on from, having said that it was a tough job because basically everything had to go perfectly for it to work out.
So the response to that was made clear on Wednesday night when it was announced that rookie southpaw Dylan Dodd would be called up from Triple-A Gwinnett to make a start on Thursday night at Truist Park against the rival Phillies.
Dodd had been entirely inconsistent with the Stripers since being optioned back down to the minors, which largely mirrors his sporadic major league outings this season. In three starts, the 24-year-old has lasted 15.1 innings but with a 6.46 ERA and 1.83 WHIP with a mix of one fantastic outing, one awful start, and a fine showing in his last start on May 4 in Miami.
It's clearly a chance against Philadelphia for Dodd to show that he's earned that currently vacant fifth spot in the rotation. However, it might be his last chance given other goings-on in the organization.
Braves insider Mark Bowman reported that Michael Soroka, coming off of a couple of impressive Triple-A starts is "now in play if needed" by Atlanta. Obviously, they'd still like to wait as the former All-Star works his way back from his multitude of injuries. But in relation to Dodd, if the lefty struggles against the Phillies, then perhaps that will press the issue with Soroka and give him his first MLB start in more than two years.
Braves Rumors: Kyle Wright injury might be worse than we thought
One of the reasons the Dylan Dodd and Michael Soroka discussions are so relevant to the Braves right now is because of the injuries to the staff's ace, Max Fried, and a 20-game winner from last season, Kyle Wright.
Fried seems to be making positive progress lately in his plight to get back into the rotation, ramping up his work and seemingly being on track to return sometime either in late June or early July. Wright, however, has not seen much progress. And the tone around talking about his injury is starting to take a more pessimistic turn.
Braves insider David O'Brien of The Athletic (subscription required) recently participated in an NL East roundtable. When talking about the biggest concern for Atlanta, he mentioned the pitching injuries. More importantly, though, he specifically noted that there is "no guarantee" that Wright is back on the mound in the 2023 season and saying that only Fried is close to starting to throw again.
Considering that Atlanta is 30-19 and still comfortably atop the NL East, it's safe to say that they've made it work with the team's pitching in spite of these injuries. Having said that, the fact of the matter is that they'd love to have the full staff. But it's starting to sound like Wright might not be in play.
Depending on what happens with Dodd, Soroka, and even Jared Shuster, who has started to flash more stability in his recent starts for Atlanta, if Wright remains out, that could press the issue at the trade deadline for the Braves to target a starter in addition to trying to add bullpen help.
Braves Rumors: Alex Cobb, not Joc Pederson, should be top trade target from the Giants
Speaking of the Braves looking at starters at the trade deadline, when the San Francisco Giants have been mentioned as possible sellers come July, one of the top options for Atlanta to consider has been Joc Pederson, ushering in a reunion with the pearl-wearing hero from the 2021 World Series run.
With the resurgent May from Marcell Ozuna, however, the Braves might be less inclined to spend big on any type of upgrade in left field, especially if he continues to show real value at the plate beyond the second month of the season. But that doesn't mean they should look past the Giants in that capacity. Specifically, Alex Cobb should be on the trade radar.
Cobb has legitimately pitched like a Cy Young candidate this season, as surprising as that may sound. Through 10 starts with San Francisco, he's posted a 4-1 record with a 2.17 ERA and 1.31 WHIP on the season. He's also posted a Quality Start in half of his outings this year, showing immense prowess from the 35-year-old veteran.
What makes Cobb intriguing as a trade target, though, is that his contract is almost up with just a $10 million club option remaining for next season. If the Giants continue to fall out of contention — they currently sit six games back of the Dodgers already and are one game under .500 — it might behoove them to try and get future assets for Cobb rather than to sit on him and lose him for nothing.
The Braves have been rock-solid in surviving injuries to the rotation to this point in the year, but there is still room to upgrade in order to not put sustained pressure on the loaded lineup. Cobb would be an experienced, veteran option to answer that and someone who could potentially be a linchpin for the pitching staff in helping to push to another World Series run.