The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Snitker upbeat on ailing relievers
LAKELAND, FLA. — The Braves would welcome any good news regarding their arsenal of ailing relievers, but they’ll settle for “should be good by opening day.”
A.J. Minter, Darren O’Day and Dan Winkler have dealt with some variety of soreness through camp. Nonetheless, the Braves aren’t sweating their bullpen. Because of the one-inning increments relievers typically handle, it’s easier to catch them up than starters.
“I feel good about it,” manager Brian Snitker said Saturday. “We have plenty of time for the one-inning guys to get back and get ready. I don’t see that as a concern right now, today. I feel like we still have plenty of time to get those guys ready to do what they’re going to do during the season.”
Winkler is pitching after fending off elbow soreness. He said he felt good Friday and pitched a scoreless inning Saturday. He broke through in 2018 to become a critical piece of the bullpen.
Minter is more of a question mark. He left his first game last week with shoulder tightness. The lefty’s health isn’t a concern, but it could be tough getting him ready by opening day.
The Braves plan for Minter and Arodys Vizcaino, who often battles injury problems of his own, to share closer duties based on matchups. Minter saved 15 games last season, his first full campaign in the majors.
“It’s going to be — because (Minter) is a one-inning guy, yeah, I think he will (be ready),” Snitker said. “We don’t need to stretch him out to three innings. I think he’ll be ready.”
O’Day has recovered from a hamstring i njury that knocked him out most of last season. But the lefty has pitched in only one game this spring, recently stalled by forearm tightness. The Braves have no reason to believe he’ll miss opening day.
O’Day was among the game’s more reliable lefties before his injury. The Braves took on his hefty salary to pay less in prospects for Kevin Gausman — but they knew there would be a long-term benefit if O’Day recovered most of his form.
Snitker likes the depth of his bullpen. He has a bounty of young pitchers (in case you hadn’t heard), several of whom he expects to begin as starters in the minors before contributing to the big league bullpen.
And while outside cries continue for Craig Kimbrel or another addition, Snitker is fine with what he has. Keep in mind pitchers such as Grant Dayton, Thomas Burrows and Jacob Webb have barely registered on the radar but could help in the summer.
“I’m going to go forward and get ready and prepare with the guys we have here,” Snitker said. “That’s all I can do. … I worry about the guys I’ve got here and getting them ready the best we can.”