The Braves announced five roster moves, including Mike Yastrzemski‘s placement on the 10-day injured list due to left elbow inflammation. Atlanta also optioned right-hander James Karinchak to Triple-A Gwinnett, while calling up right-hander Owen Murphy and outfielder Brewer Hicklen to fill the two open spots on the active roster. Jose Azocar was also outrighted off the 40-man roster and assigned to Gwinnett, as the outfielder has cleared waivers after being designated for assignment two days ago.
Yastrzemski came to Atlanta last December on a two-year free agent deal worth $23MM in guaranteed money, but the veteran outfielder has hit only .230/.321/.365 with six home runs over 262 plate appearances. This production translates to just a 92 wRC+, as the left-handed hitting Yaz has a modest .707 OPS in 227 PA against right-handed pitching.
Yastrzemski did enjoy a red-hot three-week stretch for most of May before his bat went cold again, and the outfielder had started hitting again in recent days before this IL trip. The injury likely occurred yesterday, as Yaz was the starting right fielder in the Braves’ 2-1 loss to the Cardinals but was replaced in the field by Eli White going into the bottom of the eighth.
While Yastrzemski has been inconsistent, his absence further thins out a Braves outfield that is still without Ronald Acuna Jr. White and Hicklen could share right field duties in the interim, and with the All-Star break looming, Yaz won’t miss much game time if he misses just the minimum 10 days. Acuna is also expected to soon start a minor league rehab assignment, so it might not be long before Atlanta’s outfield is back to more or less full strength. Still, the Braves are expected to explore the outfield market heading into the trade deadline, perhaps for at least a righty bat who can work with Yastrzemski as a platoon partner.
Azocar joins Andrew McCutchen, Luke Williams, Ben Gamel, and a few other outfield-capable players at Triple-A who aren’t on the 40-man roster, plus DaShawn Keirsey Jr. is on the 40-man roster. This depth will also surely into how heavily the Braves may focus on the outfield at the deadline.
This is the third time Azocar has been outrighted off Atlanta’s 40-man roster this season, and the previous two instances saw Azocar decline the outright in favor of free agency, and then quickly re-sign. The Braves have used this tactic with a few veteran players in recent years, with the players agreeing to stick around as essentially an experienced taxi squad in Gwinnett. It seems likely that Azocar will elect free agency again, and probably return to the Braves on another fresh minor league deal.
