Bryce Elder remains one of the more polarizing players on the Atlanta Braves roster. He dazzled for half a season last year, even earning an All-Star selection, but outside of that stretch, his performances have ranged from inconsistent to downright risky. Now, with ace Spencer Strider close to returning, the Braves appear to be done gambling.
On paper, optioning Elder to the minors is a straightforward decision — he still has minor league options available, making it easy to open a roster spot for Strider. But it’s not quite that simple. Elder has pitched reasonably well recently, posting a 3.10 ERA and 3.79 FIP across 29 innings in his last five starts. While not dominant, those numbers are respectable for a back-end starter.
Still, Elder’s lack of overpowering stuff and his tendency to fall apart quickly seem to have led the Braves to believe that his recent success might not be sustainable. After defeating the Nationals, the team made the move official and optioned him to Triple-A Gwinnett.
It’s a sensible move, especially from a roster management perspective. Rather than cutting ties with someone like Rafael Montero or reshuffling the bullpen prematurely, sending Elder down gives the team flexibility. Expect the Braves to call up an extra reliever for their upcoming road trip, with Strider’s activation likely coming early next week.
To Elder’s credit, he made a strong case to stay in the mix. When his slider is working, he induces plenty of ground balls and can be quite effective — as he’s shown lately. If he continues to perform well in Gwinnett, there’s a good chance he’ll get called back up, especially considering Grant Holmes brings his own brand of unpredictability to the mound.
Braves fans, stay tuned — as the team gets healthier, the roster is finally shaping up to look like the one fans envisioned at the start of the season. Now the question is: can Atlanta find its groove and start playing like a true contender again?
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