BREAKING: Atlanta Braves option Allan Winans to AAA Gwinnett

Atlanta's going with a four-man rotation for a while, thanks to multiple off days this week and the expected return of Max Fried

Fresh off of his MLB Debut on Saturday night against the Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta has optioned right-handed Allan Winans back to AAA Gwinnett. 

The #Braves today selected RHP Daysbel Hernández to the major league roster after optioning RHP Allan Winans to Triple-A Gwinnett following last night’s game. To make room on the 40-man roster, RHP Jesse Chavez was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 23, 2023

Winans pitched well in his MLB debut - despite averaging only 91 mph on his fastball, he went four scoreless innings before two runs scored in the 5th and he came out of the game with a slim 3-2 lead. 

He definitely pitched well enough to deserve another start, but the transaction is simply a matter of the schedule - with two off days surrounding a two game set in Boston against the Red Sox, Atlanta simply doesn't need a fifth starter until August 1st. And with the pending return of Max Fried after (possibly only) one more rehab start, the rotation might not need much in the way of reinforcements come early August.   

Replacing Winans with a reliever gives you a chance to fortify a bullpen that's been worked hard after the break. Going off the usage chart, both Michael Tonkin and Kirby Yates are probably down for the series finale given their pitch counts in the last three days, with Joe Jimenez needing to be rested so he doesn't work three consecutive days. Raisel Iglesias is ideally down today as well, but would undoubtedly be called on to close out today's series finale if Atlanta has a save situation. 

Rotowire

The corresponding move for Atlanta was to call up reliever Daysbel Hernández. A 2017 IFA by the Braves, Hernández is in line to potentially make his MLB debut when first called on out of the bullpen. Pitching for three levels of the minors this season as he worked his way back from 2022 Tommy John surgery, Hernández is 3-0 with a 2.05 ERA in twenty minor league appearances this season. He hasn't allowed an earned run in his last fourteen appearances on the season, striking out twenty-six batters in 16.2 inning pitched. 

To make room for Hernández on the 40-man roster, reliever Jesse Chavez was transferred to the 60-day IL as he continues to work his way back from a shin contusion suffered in mid-June when he took a 99.6 ph comebacker to the leg off of the bat of Detroit Tigers DH Miguel Cabrera. 

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