The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Winans recalled as Strider hits DL
Braves also seem likely to make other roster moves at pitcher.
The Braves on Sunday recalled right-hander Allan Winans to take Spencer Strider’s roster spot and officially placed Strider on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow UCL sprain.
Saturday, the Braves said Strider’s MRI revealed damage to the elbow. He’ll see Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas, to learn if he needs a second Tommy John surgery. He’ll be out much longer than 15 days, but the injured list designation was a formality. The Braves might have lost Strider for the season.
In his first and only start of the Triple-A season, Winans allowed two runs in 5⅔ innings for Gwinnett in an April 2 loss to Louisville. He struck out five and walked one. Winans made his MLB debut for the Braves last season and posted a 5.29 ERA in 32⅓ innings.
Strider’s spot in the rotation comes around Wednesday against the Mets at Truist Park. Winans could fill that, but the Braves recalled him to be in the bullpen.
Dylan Dodd pitched Friday for Gwinnett, so he’d line up. The Braves also could opt for Darius Vines, who started for Gwinnett on Thursday and could face the Mets on extra rest.
In the offseason, Winans, 28, tried to be more professional with taking care of his body. He wanted to put on more weight and worked with a personal trainer three times per week. “He was holding me accountable,” Winans said. “I’m weighing in every time I go to work out.”
In addition to focusing on getting stronger in the correct areas, Winans ate more. He’s a thin guy, so he prioritized getting enough calories, carbs and more.
Winans dealt with a back issue toward the end of last season, so he wasn’t working out regularly. He ended last season at 172 pounds, and entered this spring at 185 pounds. Does he notice his offseason work paying off ? “Totally, yeah,” Winans said. “I think being able to get into positions a little better. Obviously, we’re throwers of the baseball, so we got to put our bodies in certain positions and I think just being strong enough to stay in those positions has been really beneficial for me.”
ALSO INSIDE
» Braves hit three homers in 5-2 victory,
Allan Winans made his major league debut last season, making six starts. It’s not a given that Winans, 28, will replace Spencer Strider in the rotation.
Michael Harris II hit a go-ahead homer in the fourth inning, lefthander Chris Sale gave Atlanta’s rotation a boost in his first home start, and the Braves beat Arizona 5-2 on Sunday to cap a three-game sweep of the Diamondbacks.
The Braves hit three homers. Matt Olson led off the second with a solo shot and Austin Riley added a tworun blast in the eighth.
Sale (1-0), acquired from the Boston Red Sox in an offseason trade for Vaughn Grissom, allowed two runs on four hits with no walks in 5⅓ innings. Atlanta relied on its bats and bullpen in comeback wins in the first two games of the series following poor starts by Spencer Strider and Max Fried.
Sale retired Arizona’s first 10 batters before giving up two runs in the fourth, when Christian Walker had a run-scoring single. A balk by Sale allowed Corbin Carroll, who singled for the Diamondbacks’ first hit, to score from third base.
Arizona right-hander Ryne Nelson (0-2) allowed two homers, including the shot by Harris that gave Atlanta a 3-2 lead. Nelson allowed three runs on five hits in five innings.
Relievers Joe Jiménez, Tyler Matzek and Pierce Johnson combined for 3⅔ scoreless innings. Johnson pitched the ninth for his second save, giving closer Raisel Iglesias a rest after pitching in the first two games of the series.
Former Braves right-hander Julio Teheran will make his New York debut when the Mets open a fourgame series against Charlie Morton (1-0, 0.00) and the Braves tonight.
IN TODAY’S EPAPER
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