Dylan

Dodd

No real surprises among the first batch of cuts from Braves camp. Waldrep struggled last year in his first taste of the majors but still boasts some of the most intriguing stuff of any pitching prospect in the game. The 22-year-old former first-round pick figures to make a fantasy impact at some point down the road given his astronomical strikeout potential.

Dodd was only up for one game earlier this week and wound up allowing two runs over two innings on Wednesday in a relief outing agains the Brewers. It was his first appearance back in the majors since last year.

He takes Bryce Elder’s roster spot. Dodd was up briefly last month, but he never pitched. The 26-year-old has a 4.85 ERA and an 82/28 K/BB in 91 innings for Gwinnett this season. He can give the Braves length out of the pen if needed.

The 26-year-old hurler was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett prior to Wednesday’s battle against the Reds. He’ll continue to hold down a rotation spot at the Triple-A level until the Braves have another need for a spot starter.

While it’s not a certainty that he’ll wind up requiring Tommy John surgery, damage to the UCL and a visit to Dr. Meister are never what you want to hear. The 25-year-old fantasy ace experienced significantly diminished fastball velocity during Friday’s abbreviated four-inning start against the Diamondbacks and told the Braves’ medical staff afterwards that he was experiencing elbow discomfort. While he hasn’t been placed on the injured list yet, it’s only a matter of time. It’ll most likely be either Bryce Elder or Dylan Dodd taking the ball in his absence on Wednesday against the Mets.

Anderson appeared in three games for Atlanta during spring camp and posted a 6.14 ERA over 7 and 1/3 innings of work. The 25-year-old struggled to keep the ball in play; two of his five hits allowed during camp were home runs. The former first-round pick in the 2016 MLB Draft hasn’t pitched in the majors since the 2022 season after he missed the entirety of last season due to Tommy John surgery.

Dodd was a surprise addition to the Braves’ season-opening rotation last year. This time around, he’s an afterthought, going unmentioned when the top four candidates for the fifth spot are listed. He definitely had a rough time last year, finishing with a 7.60 ERA and a 15/12 K/BB ratio in 34 1/3 innings (seven starts) for the Braves and a 5.65 ERA in 78 innings in the minors. There’s still hope for him as a bottom-of-the-rotation guy, but it’s unlikely that he’ll be able to make up enough ground this spring to stick.

He allowed just one run on a solo home run while posting 13 swinging strikes and a 36.5 percent CSW. Over Dodd’s two AFL starts he has 14 strikeouts and 34 swinging strikes. The 25-year-old struggled in 2023 posting a 5.91 ERA and 1.55 WHIP across 74 2/3 innings with Triple-A Gwinnett and a 7.62 ERA and 1.94 WHIP across 28 1/3 innings with the Braves. He’s a longshot to earn a spot in the Braves rotation in 2024.

Dodd will take the ball for Game 162 as the Braves look to give the injury-riddled pitching staff extended rest before the postseason begins. The 25-year-old southpaw has been on the struggle bus all season, posting a 5.91 ERA and 1.55 WHIP across 74 2/3 innings with Triple-A Gwinnett and a 7.62 ERA and 1.94 WHIP across 28 1/3 innings with the big league clubs. He isn’t considered a streaming option for fantasy managers in leagues with daily moves.

Dodd last appeared in the majors on September 9 against the Pirates, a game where he allowed four runs on seven hits across four innings of work. With just one game left and the top-seeded Braves having nothing to play for on Sunday, the 25-year-old will be asked to eat as many innings as possible before the postseason begins.