3 Braves September roster moves to ensure a World Series repeat
By Tim Boyle
2) Braves should actually carry three catchers
Carrying three catchers, even with a 28-man roster, is rarely a smart idea. For the Braves, it’s a little different. They don’t have to do it every day for the rest of the year. But to keep Travis d’Arnaud and William Contreras healthy and in the lineup together on a regular basis, it wouldn’t hurt to spend a week or two with an extra catcher around.
Contreras is probably the best DH candidate on the Braves roster. Why have him on the bench in favor of Marcell Ozuna? This isn’t the time to start making decisions based on the number of dollars on a player’s paycheck. The Braves are at their best when d’Arnaud is the catcher and Contreras is the DH.
The extra roster spots allow Atlanta to get away with this a little more easily than when they only had a 26-man crew.
The 40-man roster doesn’t have a healthy third catcher on it at the moment with Manny Pina and Chadwick Tromp currently out. If Tromp was able to return, a few days of rest could greatly benefit the two backstops before the postseason begins.
Atlanta’s chase with the New York Mets could come down to the final days of the regular season. Ensuring they can win the best seed possible requires a healthy roster. Nobody gets battered more on the field than a catcher. Make sure you keep the pair fresh and the lineup productive by maybe having a third guy to even take the field to finish games off.