Another day, another reminder to the Braves that the best laid plans of a baseball team often go astray thanks to injury. The subject of the reminder today is reliever A.J. Minter who left today’s exhibition game with left shoulder tightness. Which is a bit of a problem given that he throws with his left arm.
Minter, a sometimes setup guy, sometimes closer who, in either role, is critical to the Braves’ bullpen plans in 2019, posted a 3.23 ERA, saved 15 games and featured a K/BB ratio of 69/22 in 61.1 innings last year.
No word yet on the seriousness of his malady -- it may be nothing, it may may an injury, we have no idea as of yet -- but in a week which has seen multiple other Braves pitchers suffer aches and pains, this is not welcome news .