Braves May Have Avoided Worst-Case Scenario with Joey Wentz

The Atlanta Braves were faced with another injury scare on Sunday. Joey Wentz suffered an apparent right knee injury during his appearance against the Tampa Bay Rays.

While he had to be carted off the field, he was reported to have been moving in the clubhouse on his own power, per multiple reports. The current update is that he is day-to-day.

A more concrete update is expected by Monday.

The Braves are already faced with two major injuries on the pitching staff. Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep have both procedures to address loose bodies in their throwing elbows. Both are on the 60-day injured list.

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It would have been tougher for Wentz to have a major injury, knowing his status on the roster. He’s out of options and has to carve out a spot for himself on the active roster to guarantee that he stays with Atlanta.

He allowed a run on two hits during his two-thirds of an inning of work before his injury. Overall, he’s looked sharp, allowing two runs across 5 2/3 innings (3.18 ERA) with a .158 BAA and a 1.24 WHIP.

Should he be totally unscathed apart from being day-to-day, he has a chance to be an option for the rotation when needed and a long reliever in the bullpen.

Wentz was originally drafted by the Braves, but didn’t debut with the team until last season. He was claimed off waivers from the Detroit Tigers and became an important arm in the rotation down the stretch. He made 14 appearances, 13 starts, pitching to a 4.92 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP.

With the injuries already faced and the injury histories that current options have faced in the past, the Braves want to have him ready and waiting. Bryce Elder is looking like the favorite to take the fifth spot in the rotation. He’s also out of options, but is ahead in line because of his longer track record with the team.

The Braves are set to host the Minnesota Twins on Monday in North Port, Fla. First pitch is currently set for 1:05 p.m. Carlos Carrasco is set to be the starting pitcher.