Braves Star Was Assigned to a Competitor for Financial Reasons, Injury Updates

17 November: RHP Nick Anderson was moved for monetary considerations.

Instead of refusing to tender Anderson and receiving nothing in return, the Braves dealt him to the Royals for unspecified monetary considerations. Anderson had a 3.06 ERA in 35 appearances for Atlanta in 2023, but he missed the second half of the season due to a right shoulder ailment after being placed on the 60-day injured list in July. As the Braves rebuilt their bullpen over the last three weeks, his future with the team became uncertain. Pierce Johnson and Joe Jiménez re-signed with Atlanta, and the White Sox acquired lefty Aaron Bummer on Thursday night.

The Braves release seven players on November 17th.
The Braves did not sign lefty Kolby Allard, righty Yonny Chirinos, righty Penn Murfee, lefty Angel Perdomo, righty Michael Tonkin, catcher Chadwick Tromp, or infielder Luke Williams. Chirinos was included because his predicament had not been settled three days after he was assigned. These players are now all free agents. The Braves’ 40-man roster now includes 30 players.

RHP Penn Murfee was claimed off waivers on November 14th, and RHP Yonny Chirinos was designated for assignment.
Murfee was claimed by the Braves after being placed on waivers by the Mets, who had grabbed the right-hander from the Mariners on Oct. 31. Murfee has a 2.70 ERA in 80 appearances for Seattle over the last two seasons. The 29-year-old had Tommy John surgery in June and will most likely miss the entire 2024 season.

Chirinos was DFA’d after posting a 9.27 ERA in five starts with Atlanta after being claimed from the Rays on July 23.

INJURY UPDATES

RHP Charlie Morton (sprained right index finger)
The expected return is 2024.
Morton was unavailable during the National League Division Series; had the Braves advanced to the NL Championship Series, they had hoped he would be available. With one out in the first inning of his September 22 start at Nationals Park, the veteran felt finger soreness. He didn’t come back to start the second inning. An MRI indicated that the hurler is not suffering from anything more serious than a sprain.

Jackson Stephens (RHP) (right elbow inflammation)
The expected return is 2024.
On September 30, Stephens faced the Nationals and pitched two scoreless innings with two strikeouts. The right-hander had a 3.00 ERA with 11 strikeouts in 12 innings in five games this season.

LHP Dylan Lee (left shoulder inflammation)
Expected return: 2024
Lee missed more than three months with a shoulder ailment before returning to Atlanta’s roster at the start of September. He made four appearances before being placed back on the injured list. He was transferred to the 60-day IL on Sept.

Kolby Allard (left shoulder nerve irritation) is the starting pitcher.
The expected return is 2024.
Allard departed the game against the White Sox in the second inning on July 16 and was placed on the 60-day injured list, retroactive to July 17, with left shoulder nerve inflammation. Allard suffered a season-ending injury after beginning the season on the 60-day injured list with an oblique strain.

LHP Tyler Matzek (Tommy John surgery)
Expected return: 2024
Matzek is recovering from Tommy John surgery and plans to return in 2024.

RHP Huascar Ynoa (Tommy John surgery)
Expected return: 2024
Ynoa is recovering from surgery.