Braves rumors: 3 in-house options and 1 trade to replace Max Fried
By Mark Powell
Braves rumors: Add Allan Winans to the 40-man roster
It’s no secret that Dylan Dodd and Jared Shuster have struggled this season. Shuster is Atlanta’s top prospect, but after a sketchy big-league debut and some command issues in Gwinnett, a promotion could be a serious setback if it goes poorly. Sometimes what’s best for the team short term, isn’t necessarily in their long-term interest.
Enter Allan Winans. The little-known Atlanta 27-year-old pitcher has been throwing quite well in Gwinnett. He has next to no injury issues at the moment, and is good for a spot start or two. As MLB Trade Rumors notes, Winans “has pitched to a solid 2.90 ERA in six appearances (four starts) with impressive strikeout and walk rates. He tossed six quality innings on May 3 and, speculatively speaking, could be an option in the next couple weeks if the Braves want to make space for him on the 40-man roster.”
With Ian Anderson out long-term, and Shuster and Dodd struggling, a vet like Winans could be a decent answer to Fried’s injury prognosis. This is not to say that Winans will pitch to Fried’s level. In fact, he likely won’t come close. But if he can even offer four-to-five decent innings in a couple starts to relieve the bullpen, the Braves strong lineup should be able to handle the rest.