Braves set 2014 Opening Day roster
Club set to open campaign at the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday
ATLANTA - The Atlanta Braves today officially set their 25-man roster for Opening Day. The Braves purchased the contracts of RHP Gus Schlosser and LHP Ian Thomas, and recalled LHP Ryan Buchter from Triple-A Gwinnett. Buchter will wear uniform number 59, Schlosser will switch to uniform number 50 and Thomas will wear uniform number 58. In addition, RHP Ervin Santana was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett as a part of his continued preparation for the regular season.
RHP Cory Gearrin was placed on the 15-day disabled list (right ulnar collateral ligament sprain), retroactive to March 26th. RHP Brandon Beachy ("Tommy John" surgery performed March 21st) and LHP Jonny Venters (recovering from "Tommy John" surgery) were transferred to the 60-day disabled list in order to make room on the 40-man roster for Schlosser and Thomas.
RHPs Brandon Beachy, Gavin Floyd (recovering from "Tommy John" surgery) and Kris Medlen ("Tommy John" surgery performed on March 18th) and LHPs Mike Minor (left shoulder tendinitis) and Jonny Venters (recovering from "Tommy John" surgery) were all placed on the 15-day disabled list on March 23rd (retroactive to March 21st). Medlen was transferred to the 60-day disabled list on March 24th.
The Braves roster includes three rookies, Buchter, Schlosser and RHP David Hale, and four players who are donning a Braves uniform for the first time in their career.
The Braves open the 2014 campaign, their 49th in Atlanta, on Monday, March 31, at the Milwaukee Brewers (2:10 p.m. ET, SportSouth).
The season-opening roster includes 12 pitchers, three catchers, six infielders and four outfielders:
PITCHERS (12): Luis Avilan (LH), Ryan Buchter (LH), David Carpenter (RH), David Hale (RH), Aaron Harang (RH), Craig Kimbrel (RH), Gus Schlosser (RH), Julio Teheran (RH), Ian Thomas (LH), Anthony Varvaro (RH), and Jordan Walden (RH) and Alex Wood (RH).
CATCHERS (3): Ryan Doumit, Evan Gattis and Gerald Laird
INFIELDERS (6): Freddie Freeman, Chris Johnson, Tyler Pastornicky, Ramiro Pena, Andrelton Simmons and Dan Uggla
OUTFIELDERS (4): Jason Heyward, Jordan Schafer, B.J. Upton and Justin Upton