BRAVES NEWS

Preston Tucker’s big day at the plate paces Braves in 3-2 win over Tigers

As the spring slate winds down, the Braves are now in the final stages of paring down a roster that includes multiple players who are fighting for a roster spot when Opening Day arrives. One such player is Preston Tucker, who was acquired from the Houston Astros early in the offseason. Tucker has produced to the tune of a .375/.457/.575 slash line this spring, and now looks to be a lock to break camp as a member of the 25-man roster. On Wednesday, Tucker collected two hits and two RBI, backing a strong six-inning effort from Brandon McCarthy followed by three scoreless innings from Jose Ramirez, Peter Moylan, and Arodys Vizcaino.

Camargo needs DL stint to prep for season

The Braves will be without presumed starting third baseman Johan Camargo for the first six games of the regular season after the 24-year-old tweaked his back in Spring Training. The club will have three potential options according to Braves beat writer Mark Bowman:

Ruiz and Charlie Culberson would be the top options to play third base in Camargo’s absence. Switch-hitting utility man Danny Santana’s ability to play the hot corner could enhance the likelihood of him making the Opening Day roster as a non-roster invitee.

Inbox: Why is Acuna starting 2018 in Minors?

As we addressed earlier in the week, Ronald Acuna was sent down for what will likely be 13 games, allowing the Braves to gain an extra year of contractual control. Mark Bowman delves into that decision in addition to other topics in this week’s iteration of Inbox:

If the Braves exceed expectations and find themselves being criticized for this decision in September, they’ll have to deal with what would certainly be a good problem to have, when you consider where the team has been over the past few years. There are no guarantees for any team in any season. But if you evaluate the probabilities, it certainly makes sense to predict a full year of Acuna on the field in 2024 will trump the value of him being available for 13 additional games right now, when the team is still in the midst of its rebuild.

Chipper Jones will name his next son Cooper

Newly inducted Hall of Famer Chipper Jones is taking quite well to his new title, announcing on Wednesday that his son, who is expected to be born in July, will be named Cooper in honor of his father’s induction into Cooperstown. With a Shea already in the family in honor of Shea Stadium, Chipper is checking off personal boxes of baseball significance with every baby name.

MLB NEWS

Best prospect bets to make Opening Day rosters

With Ronald Acuna out of the mix for the Braves’ Opening Day roster, MLB.com takes a look at which top prospects could break camp with their respective major league clubs. Some of the high-profile names include Shohei Ohtani, JP Crawford, and Jesse Winker, among others.

Souza strains shoulder attempting catch

The Diamondbacks seem to have bad luck as it pertains to outfielders in Spring Training. Two years ago AJ Pollock derailed his entire season by fracturing his elbow late in the spring schedule on a dive into home plate. Now Steven Souza, Jr., who was acquired by the club this offseason, appears to have injured his shoulder on a diving attempt in the outfield.