Braves Rumors: Pitching help signed, Michael Soroka struggling, cheap trade target

Braves Rumors: Justus Sheffield signing could be the pitching stopgap

With the injuries to Max Fried and Kyle Wright creating lengthy absences, the Atlanta Braves have just barely enough depth in the organization — assuming they want to rely on prospects Dylan Dodd and Jared Shuster to accomplish that — to bide their time through the next two months while they’re out of the rotation.

GM Alex Anthopolous, however, seems to be looking on the veteran free agent market to try and find a stopgap option. On Friday, the Braves signed 26-year-old lefty Justus Sheffield to a minor-league contract.

Sheffield spent time with the Mariners in each of the last four seasons after making his MLB debut with the Yankees back in 2018. The 2021 season, his longest tenure in the majors, wasn’t kind to the southpaw as he had a 6.83 ERA and 1.842 WHIP over 15 starts and 21 total appearances.

Having said that, sheffield was good in 2020 with a 3.58 ERA and 1.301 WHIP in 10 starts and solid last year over six appearances and one start for Seattle, posting a 3.86 ERA and 1.286 WHIP.

The fact fo the matter is that the Braves don’t need to get overly urgent with addressing the need for more pitching depth while this injuries are plaguing them. Sheffield has proven to be a fine innings eater and starter in his career to this point and, at his age, could still have upside. Bringing him in on a minor-league deal makes a ton of sense to see if he can be the right guy to fill a role in the rotation or the bullpen.