The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
FRIED CALLED UP; PIRATES TRADE FOR RODRIGUEZ
Rodriguez traded; pitching prospect Fried promoted.
The Braves traded veteran utility man Sean Rodriguez to the Pirates for first base-outfield prospect Connor Joe on a Saturday when the team’s youth movement hit full stride.
The team also called up left-handed pitching prospect Max Fried from Double-A, after calling up 20-year-old prospect Ozzie Albies on Tuesday and making him the starting second baseman.
They agreed to trade Rodriguez after the Pirates claimed him on waivers, the first of what could be at least two or three waiver trades for the Braves this month. The Braves save more than $7 million with the trade, including Rodriguez’s $5.75 million salary for 2018.
The non-waiver trade deadline was Monday, but teams can still trade players who clear waivers or trade them to a team that makes a waiver claim.
Jace Peterson was recalled from Triple-A to take Rodriguez’s roster spot for the time being.
Joe, 24, hit .240 with four triples, five homers, 30 RBIs and a .337 on-base percentage in 77 minor league games this season, including 74 at Double-A Altoona, splitting time between first base and right field.
A first-round draft pick in 2014, Joe has a .257 average with 68 extra-base hits (11 homers), 102 RBIs and a .352 OBP and .361 slugging percentage in just over 1,000 minor league plate appearances over parts of three seasons.
Rodriguez spent more than half of the season on the disabled list recovering from February shoulder surgery, returned far sooner than anyone expected, and hit .162 (6 for 47) with two homers, three RBIs, 19 strikeouts and a .326 OBP in 15 games for the Braves since he was activated July 17.
”I have nothing but the utmost respect after seeing what that kid went through, seeing how he just worked and worked and worked and how dedicated he was,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “And the desire to get back on the field was unbelievable. Going through all that, and nursing his family back, too, he had a full plate. It’s pretty impressive. Says a lot about him, his makeup, his personality that he could do that.”
With the emergence of rookie infielder Johan Camargo and the performance of infielder/outfielder Danny Santana who was acquired in a midseason trade, the Braves didn’t have a need or much room for Rodriguez, 32, particularly now that they’ve decided to go with more of their young players for the rest of the season.
The other big reason to make the deal: The Braves shed the $5.75 million salary Rodriguez will get in 2018 in the second year of the contract he signed in November.
The Braves signed him to a two-year, $11.5 million contract in November and planned for Rodriguez to start the season as their second baseman, then move him to a multi-position role when Albies reached the big leagues. But a Jan. 28 car accident changed those plans, and the Braves scrambled to trade for second baseman Brandon Phillips just before spring training.
Albies arrived last week, and Phillips has moved to third base for the time being, though the Braves also could trade him. — DAVID O’BRIEN
Fried to begin in bullpen:
The Braves acquired Fried, who was recovering from Tommy John surgery, from San Diego in 2014 in the Justin Upton deal.
Fried has been up and down since, but his latest string of starts earned him a surprise promotion.
“It’s definitely been a long journey, a lot of obstacles,” Fried said. “But I couldn’t be happier to be here.”
Snitker is happy to see Fried again. Fried, 23, appeared in three Grapefruit League games during March.
“I am excited,” Snitker said. “We’re going to put him in the bullpen and give him an opportunity, kind of break him in. When these young guys are coming up, I get real excited about all of them. We’ve been talking about them, and now that they’re starting to surface, it’s exciting.
“I was glad to see him. You think back to that first day we brought him in in spring training game against Detroit and he faced the heart of that lineup; did OK for himself. It’ll be good. We can get him in every now and then and let him get a taste of this, see what it’s all about. We think he’s a guy for us down the road.”
Fried fondly remembers his short-lived stint in spring training.
“It was invaluable,” he said. “I felt like I met a lot of these guys in spring training earlier in the year, and having some success there too definitely helps.
“Honestly, I couldn’t be more excited. I’ve been waiting for this moment since I’d been three years old. Just to finally be here, it’s a little overwhelming.”