The Braves are trying to keep the Phillies behind them in the NL East, and the recent surge has helped. Atlanta has won seven straight and eight of its last 10, but even if it finishes first in the division, the path ahead still runs through the Wild Card Series. The Dodgers and Brewers would hold the National League’s top two seeds.
That reality is part of why FanSided’s Jake Elman is pushing for an aggressive move before October. He thinks Atlanta should bring up one of its top pitching prospects for September, even if the timeline feels fast.
“Elman wrote” that “The cousin of former NL MVP Ken Caminiti, Cam recently turned 20 and is less than two months removed from pitching in the Futures Game. However, he’s battled control issues throughout the year, walking 48 in 102.2 innings between High-A Rome and Double-A Columbus.”
Caminiti has not reached Triple-A in the Braves system, so the leap to the majors would be a big one. Still, Elman sees a possible opening because of the Braves’ pitching situation.
“But given Spencer Strider’s injury history and Spencer Schwellenbach’s season-ending elbow surgery, why not give Caminiti a chance in the Majors?” Elman added. “Atlanta could use the 6-foot-2, 195-pound lefty out of the bullpen down the stretch as they inch closer to locking up the NL East.”
Whether the Braves are willing to rush his development is another question entirely. With a World Series chase still in front of them, Atlanta’s front office may not be eager to gamble on a 20-year-old arm for postseason help.
In Other News...
Braves Offseason Trade Picture Is Already Getting More Interesting
The Braves offseason already has the feel of a team looking to fine-tune a roster that still has plenty going for it. With Atlanta sitting in a strong spot in the division, the front office can focus on areas that could matter in October and beyond, namely starting pitching, a shortstop, bullpen help and an outfielder. That kind of shopping list usually leads to a wide range of calls, and this winter could be no different as the Braves keep an eye on clubs that might be willing to move useful pieces.
Houston, Seattle, the Angels and Minnesota all stand out as possible trade partners, each offering different paths for Atlanta to explore. The timing adds another layer, too, with the possibility of a lockout beginning Dec. 1 hanging over the market and potentially slowing the usual winter churn. For a team in win-now mode, that means the next few weeks may be just as important for mapping out the market as making the first move. [Read more 🡒]
Braves September Call Ups Put Two Very Different Roles In Focus
The Braves September roster move brings two very different storylines into the clubhouse, with right-hander Blake Burkhalter and infielder Kyle Farmer joining the mix as the calendar turns. Burkhalter is getting his first shot in the majors after a strong run at Triple-A, while Farmers path is more familiar, a return to the big league roster after he came back to the organization on a minor league deal in July.
Burkhalter gives Atlanta another look at a pitcher the organization has clearly liked enough to reward for his work at the upper levels, while Farmer offers the kind of infield depth and veteran insurance that can matter in September. The setup makes sense for a team trying to manage the final stretch, even if the real intrigue is how quickly Burkhalter can settle in once the games start to count at this level. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Suddenly Face A Frightening Spencer Schwellenbach Question
The Braves rotation depth took another hard hit when the club announced that pitchers Hurston Waldrep and Spencer Schwellenbach will need surgeries for elbow injuries. Waldrep is set for Tommy John surgery, while Schwellenbach will have a screw placed in his elbow to repair a fracture, a particularly troubling development for a pitcher the organization has been trying to build around.
Schwellenbachs situation is the one that hangs over the staff now, because this is already his second surgery in a year and his ability to pitch again is unclear. For a Braves team that has leaned on young arms and tried to keep its pitching pipeline intact, the news only adds to a string of setbacks that has made every injury update feel bigger than the last. [Read more 🡒]