Braves make stunning roster move to address struggling pitcher

The Atlanta Braves optioned struggling starting pitcher Ian Anderson to Triple-A Gwinnett.

After yet another bad outing, the Atlanta Braves have decided Ian Anderson needs to spend some time with the Gwinnett Stripers.

Ahead of their series finale vs. the hated New York Mets, Anderson and team spirit animal outfielder Guillermo Heredia were optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett. Atlanta recalled right-hander Huascar Ynoa and called up backup backstop Chadwick Tromp. This is to offset Atlanta potentially losing catcher Travis d’Arnaud. Although x-rays came back negative, he is listed as day-to-day.

Anderson went 4.2 innings, allowing four earned runs in his latest outing for the Braves. While Atlanta won the Friday night game in which he started, Anderson did not factor into the decision because he could not even make it through five innings. He may have nine wins on the season, but his 5.11 ERA is awful. Sadly, it does not even qualify because he has only pitched in 105.2 innings.

Atlanta may need him at some point, but Anderson has to figure some things out in Triple-A now.

Here is what Anderson had to say about his demotion ahead of the Braves’ finale vs. New York.

Atlanta Braves actually optioned struggling starter Ian Anderson to Triple-A

Even if Anderson’s struggles were the elephant in the room within the Atlanta rotation, it is almost hard to fathom this is the same pitcher who came onto the scene in a big way during the COVID year. The 24-year-old from outside of Albany, New York was Atlanta’s No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 MLB Amateur Draft. His stuff was electric throughout his first two years with the team.

So what happened? Either he misses his Burgundy Boy Joc Pederson badly or is dealing with the aftermath of his high school teammate Kevin Huerter getting shipped out of town to the Sacramento Kings. Either way, every other Braves starter is at least a full run better than ole Aqualung in the ERA department, including ageless Charlie Morton coming off his broken leg.

So what is Anderson to do now? Will he find his locomotive breath once again against inferior competition? The problem for the Braves’ unofficial flautist is Atlanta’s four other starters all throw harder than him in Morton, Max Fried, Kyle Wright and Mr. Stache N Gas himself, Spencer Strider. Anderson has been unable to locate his fastball all season, making his change-up worse.

While Anderson goes back to the minors with Nada Humble, it will be a return of sorts to the Atlanta rotation for Ynoa. Prior to punching a dugout bench last season, Ynoa had been a pleasant surprise on the Braves pitching staff for a year or so. Though the rotation will shrink to three or four in October, Atlanta needs to figure out the fifth spot in the next two months to get there.

Whether it is mechanics or mental, let’s hope Anderson finds the Wright Stuff like Kyle had to.