The Atlanta Braves Add a New Pitcher for Miami Marlins Series

The Atlanta Braves have called up a starting pitcher, but could use him in relief if needed.

Jordan Godfree-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Braves are shuffling the back of the rotation. 

Allan Winans was the first prospect pitcher to get an opportunity at filling the vacated rotation spot of Spencer Strider, who was placed on the 15-day injured list with a UCL sprain and is seemingly destined for a second UCL surgery. But that didn’t go according to plan, as Winans allowed seven runs (six earned) in just five innings against the New York Mets on Thursday afternoon in what ended up being a lopsided 16-4 loss. 

And so, the Atlanta Braves have called up Darius Vines to the active roster, with Winans being sent back down to AAA Gwinnett. 

Vines, 25, made his MLB debut last season for Atlanta as one of the sixteen different starters the Braves had to use after injuries to both Max Fried and Kyle Wright. He went 1-0 with a 3.98 ERA in five MLB appearances, making two starts. 

A 7th rounder in 2019 out of CSU Bakersfield, Vines had an impressive debut for Atlanta. Being called up for a spot start on August 30th on the road in Colorado, Vines held the Rockies to two runs on four hits in six innings, the first visiting pitcher that was making his MLB debut in Coors Field to go that long with that few runs scored in MLB history. 

Vines ended up striking out fourteen batters and walking seven in his 20.1 MLB innings last season. He features a four pitch mix, throwing an 85-mph cutter and a 90-mph four seam fastball in equal amounts (33%), mixing in a low-80s changeup (25%) and occasionally using a low-80s breaking ball (~9%). 

While it was expected that Bryce Elder would be the next Braves pitcher called up to fill a rotation spot on a full-term basis, the team’s usage of other pitchers reflects both the conflicting schedules between Gwinnett and Atlanta as well as the expected usage of the call-ups. Elder had started the day before Winans was called up, and with the need to have the newly-added pitcher available out of the bullpen, Elder wasn’t the right choice to supplement the pitching staff until the next expected start. 

With Vines being called up and projected to be the starter next Tuesday versus the Houston Astros if not needed in relief before then, it allowed Elder to make his next expected start in Gwinnett and then be added to the major league roster after that.