When I say random, I mean random
With Didier Fuentes returning to Triple-A, the Braves have a funny not-really-a-dilemma on their hands. It looks like this: they have three guys that they will ostensibly use as starters going forward (Spencer Strider, Grant Holmes, Bryce Elder), even if two of those guys are arguably not really fit for service as traditional starters anyway. They may keep one spot reserved for a bullpen game, even though last weekend’s foray into that against the Orioles showed that, sadly, the on-field management of this team utterly does not understand how a bullpen game is supposed to work (hint: it’s by using the bullpen, just like, a lot). The remaining could have, in theory, belonged to Fuentes, but that’s not the case anymore.
Nathan Wiles took Fuentes’ place. So, the Braves could just give Wiles a bunch of starts and not worry. But, when I looked at the FanGraphs Depth Chart for the Braves for the rest of the year, I chuckle:
At this point, I don’t see much of a reason for Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, or Reynaldo Lopez to come back in 2025, except as basically a tune-up to make sure all the parts are still working or whatever. This human-crafted Depth Chart has Wiles getting the most starts beyond the “actual” starters the team employs, but then you’ve got — Davis Daniel, Hurston Waldrep, Jose Suarez for some reason (what?), and Jackson Stephens.
Daniel has an xFIP above 5.00 in Triple-A, which… ew. Waldrep is barely better, but at least has pedigree and a clear record of “the Braves are doing stuff with him such that results and even peripherals aren’t the point.” Suarez has actually occasionally been usable in the majors, but has been on the shelf since late May, so I don’t think he’s a real option. Which brings us to Jackson Stephens, who has at least not been horrible at Gwinnett. Plus, he’s kind of a fun guy. (Wiles has a mid-4.00s xFIP for Gwinnett, but he’s also already up, so he kind of seems like the obvious choice.)
Anyway — one of these guys to take that last spot and hold it longer than the others, or something else? I feel like we can write two bullpen turns right out, given the thinly-veiled disgust at using even one that emanates from the organization. Or maybe they add a complete scrapheap non-entity like Kyle Gibson to the mix just to eat innings? Make your pick.
Daily Notes
Record: 40-51
Yesterday’s wOBA and xwOBA: .467 / .441 (Season rank: 20th / 11th)
Yesterday’s opponent wOBA and xwOBA: .255 / .218 (Season rank: 14th / 9th)
Yesterday’s homers: 5
Yesterday’s homers allowed: 0
Record when out-xwOBAing: 29-18 (League: 1,009-364)
Record when out-xwOBAed: 11-33 (League: 364-1,009)
Record when out-wOBAing: 35-8 (League: 1,167-209)
Record when out-wOBAed: 5-43 (League: 209-1,167)
Record when outhomering: 22-8 (League: 763-210)
Record when outhomered: 6-27 (League: 210-763)