The Braves made several changes to their roster on Monday. They brought back catcher Sean Murphy from the injured list and recalled outfielder J.P. MartÃnez. Unfortunately, outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. landed on the 10-day injured list due to a torn ACL in his left knee, and infielder Joey Wendle was designated for assignment.
Wendle, who recently joined the team as a utility infielder, faced an unexpected exit due to Acuña’s injury. With Acuña sidelined, the Braves found themselves short on outfielders, prompting the recall of MartÃnez, which resulted in Wendle’s departure.
Now, the Braves have the option to trade Wendle or place him on waivers within a week. Since the Mets released him last week, they will cover most of his $2M salary, leaving any team that picks him up responsible only for the prorated league minimum.
Wendle has shown versatility in playing multiple positions, although his recent performance at the plate has been lackluster. Despite his offensive struggles, he could still serve as a defensive asset off the bench. The Braves may explore further roster adjustments given their current lack of depth, particularly in the infield.
The return of Murphy provides the Braves with three catchers, ensuring depth behind the plate. While they could have sent Chadwick Tromp to the minors, they likely chose to retain him as insurance until both Murphy and Travis d’Arnaud are fully fit.
However, the Braves currently lack a backup infielder, with Austin Riley sidelined due to injury and Zack Short filling in at third base. The composition of the outfield is also uncertain following Acuña’s injury, with Jarred Kelenic and Adam Duvall likely to see increased playing time alongside MartÃnez.
MartÃnez, acquired from the Rangers in January, has displayed speed and versatility in the minors but has yet to replicate his previous success at the major league level. He, like Kelenic, performs better against right-handed pitchers, which could influence the Braves’ outfield rotation going forward.
