The Braves add a veteran infielder to their major league roster along with disappointing news on Tyler Matzek.
The Atlanta Braves announced a few roster moves on Tuesday before they take on the Boston Red Sox this evening.
The #Braves today signed INF Brian Anderson to a major league contract and he will be active for tonight’s game at Boston. To make room on the 40-man roster, Atlanta transferred LHP Tyler Matzek to the 60-day injured list.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 4, 2024
The announcement that the team signed veteran infielder Brian Anderson is a bit interesting. For one, he will immediately join the major league squad and be available tonight in Boston. And while this may seem to be a move to fill the very rarely used “26th-man bench spot”, Anderson has a a bit more intrigue with the bat than most players who have filled that spot in the past.
To be fair, Anderson has not offered much production at the plate over the past three years, producing just a .680 OPS across 1,008 plate appearances with the Marlins and Brewers. But if the Braves can help Anderson reclaim some value in his bat like they have for other veterans in the past, his ability to play multiple infield and outfield positions could make him a valuable bench piece in time. At the very least, he is an option that can be used in case of injury or perhaps in a pinch hitting role.
To make room for Anderson, the Braves moved reliever Tyler Matzek to the 60-day injured list. Matzek was placed on the injured list back on May 14th with left shoulder inflammation. While there has been no more specific news, the fact that he was transitioned to the 60-day is certainly a disappointing development. At the very least, it seems he will need an extended period of time to return to full health.