The North Port Report: They Actually Played Baseball Today

Here's everything you need to know from Braves Spring Training in North Port, FL from Saturday

Welcome to The North Port Report, your nightly notebook from Braves spring training. Each evening, we’ll run through the biggest developments from camp: roster battles, injury updates, standout performances, and the small details that matter more than they seem in February. The games may not count yet, but the information does.

Here’s what stood out today

Atlanta’s offense showed up early, with Mike Yastrzemski and Ben Gamel both homering in their first plate appearances and the Braves putting up five runs in the first three innings.

While offense was at a premium once the backups came in, the starters had productive days as the plate:

Eli White: 1-3, R
Yastrzemski: 2-2, 2R, RBI, HR, BB
Gamel: 2-2, 2R, 3RBI, HR, 2B, BB

On the pitching side, Carlos Carrasco barely broke 90 mph on his fastballs but still put up two scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Provided he doesn’t keep letting that changeup get crushed (three batted balls, two were hard-hit), he’s perfectly crumulent rotation depth for spot starts or a doubleheader.

Hayden Harris and James Karinchak were my winners out of the relievers that pitched. Harris finally got his first whiff on a fastball, inducing three whiffs on eight swings against the heater. Karinchak, meanwhile, flashed an absurd 20 inches of induced vertical break on his fastball, which helped set up his curveball for strikes.

Elieser Hernandez and Dylan Dodd also looked pretty decent in their innings, with Dodd picking up three whiffs and a 38% CSW in the 3rd and Hernandez flashing a starter’s repertoire of five different pitches, including all three fastballs, to get through two innings.

I am slightly disappointed that Jim Jarvis got the first backup reps at shortstop, with John Gil being relegated to third base for the remainder of the contest. Both prospects were held hitless, although Gil reached in the top of the 9th on a popup that was lost in the sun by Rays shortstop prospect Carson Williams.

Quick Hits

• Walt Weiss discussed the likely starting pitching situation, with Chris Sale expected to be the Sunday home starter vs the Twins (which bodes well for Opening Day), and Spencer Strider being lined up for Monday. Since both Monday and next start line up to be on the road in Sarasota vs the Orioles, Strider might be a candidate to pitch on backfields for one of those two games, per MLB.com’s Mark Bowman.

  • This will do nothing to quiet the “they’re trying to hide that Strider is cooked” conspiracy theories, unfortunately, but it’s sometimes the reality in spring training.

• Sean Murphy caught Spencer Strider’s side session on Saturday morning, so he’s already doing baseball activities. It’s a good sign that he may hit the May timeframe for a return to the active roster.

• Ten hard-hit balls for the Braves, including two each by Gamel and Yastrzemski and the hardest hit ball by an Atlanta hitter being Eli White’s 3rd-inning single (111.9 mph). Elieser Hernandez (six) and Hayden Harris (five) led all pitchers on swing and misses, although Hernandez did his on 19 swings and Harris did his on 13.

Roster Battle Tracker

Stock UP

James Karinchak. With Grant Holmes now in the rotation, a bullpen spot is now open. I originally gave it to José Suárez because the Braves have 13 games in 13 days to open the season and likely will prioritize depth. If Karinchak keeps flashing these fastball numbers, though, especially if his velocity ticks up through spring, he may leap Ian Hamilton and Suarez for that final spot.

Ben Gamel also deserves a mention here. I responded to premium subscriber Shaun, who expressed concern on this morning’s roster projection (1.5), that Dom Smith could be the final bench piece by explaining that we don’t know what they’re looking for. I’ve been wondering if they would prioritize defense, or pinch-hitting, or maybe even baserunning from that final spot. They might just want whoever is hot at that time to provide extra offensive firepower for the first month of the season until Kim and Murphy return. Gamel made an early case that he could be that guy.

Stock DOWN

He’s still going to make the Opening Day roster as the backup shortstop, most likely, but jeez, was Jorge Mateo’s day a rough one. He went 0-3 at the plate, grounding out twice and flying out once, while looking entirely unspectacular at shortstop. If Dubón acquits himself well at shortstop and Jonah Heim’s hitting when Murphy and Kim are due back, Mateo might be the odd man out instead of whoever is the final bench piece.

Observation of the Day

I can’t help but get over the Karinchak news. I’m hopeful that there is a lot of competition for that final bullpen spot, although I’m curious whether or not the team will prioritize sheer talent or length with the aforementioned 13 games in 13 days to open the season.

Tomorrow’s watch list

Chris Sale and most of the regulars will be in the lineup tomorrow, so let’s watch some quasi-real baseball.