The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Swanson sent to Gwinnett
Hometown rookie’s struggles outweigh his popularity with fans.
PHOENIX — The move that once seemed so improbable is now a reality: The Braves sent struggling rookie Dansby Swanson to Triple-A.
Swanson, batting .214 with six home runs and a .599 OPS in 95 games, learned after the Braves’ series finale Wednesday at Arizona that he would be optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett.
The Braves also optioned
pitcher Aaron Blair to Gwinnett after he started and took the loss Wednesday. Corresponding moves will be announced before the Braves’ series opener today in Philadelphia.
It will be the first Triple-A experience for Swanson, 23, who was called up directly from Double-A
in August 2016 and enjoyed immediate success, batting .302 with a .361 on-base percentage in 38 major league games.
He played only 127 games in the minor leagues, but expectations soared because of his early results, his lofty prospect ranking — as high as No. 2 in baseball, according to some experts — and his presence at the center of so many Braves marketing campaigns.
Some coaches and team officials warned that Swanson would experience the struggles that virtually every rookie does, but his slumps this season reached the point that something needed to be done, particularly given the emergence of versatile rookie infielder Johan Camargo.
Before getting two hits Wednesday against the Diamondbacks, the organization that drafted him No. 1 overall in 2015 out of Vanderbilt, Swanson was 1 for 29 in his previous 12 games and had lost considerable playing time to hot-hitting Camargo.
Swanson hit .185 with a .559 OPS in 178 at-bats over his first 50 games through May 31, then warmed up with a .333 average, .827 OPS and only 12 strikeouts in 87 at-bats over his next 24 games through June 25.
But just when it appeared he had righted his season, he went into another, even worse, tailspin in which he hit .119 with six walks, 22 strikeouts and a .386 OPS in 21 games, his ongoing struggle to hit sliders becoming ever more glaring.
Camargo started nine of the past 18 games at shortstop, including three in a row before Swanson got a start Wednesday against left-hander Patrick Corbin in what was to be his final game before the demotion to Triple-A.
Swanson has hit .258 with a .769 OPS in 69 plate appearances against lefties this season and just .202 with a .559 OPS in 293 appearances against right-handers.
The Braves had been hesitant to demote Swanson, since the high-profile rookie from Marietta remains a big part of their future plans, and they value the intangibles he brings to the team, including the positive effect they believe he’s had in pushing Camargo.
But with his playing time recently reduced, the Braves decided that sending the popular rookie down had become the prudent decision and best course for Swanson, who needs to play every day and regain confidence at the plate.
The Braves acquired Swanson along with center fielder Ender Inciarte and Blair in a December 2015 trade that sent pitcher Shelby Miller to the Diamondbacks.
Swanson was viewed until recently as the primary reason that trade was hugely one-sided in favor of the Braves, but Inciarte won his first Gold Glove in 2016 and made the National League All-Star team this season.