The Atlanta Braves had their spring coaching dwelling opener right now at CoolToday Park and it was a really intriguing event, certainly — all eyes had been on Ian Anderson as he made his spring coaching debut for the 12 months as he appears to be like to lock down a rotation spot going ahead.
The excellent news for Ian Anderson is that he’ll have his justifiable share of probabilities to construct upon what he did right here in opposition to the Rays. The primary inning particularly was a stable one as he didn’t hand over any hits however he did stroll Yandy DÃaz, although. Nonetheless, Anderson picked up a strikeout (with a handsome slider) on his technique to racking up a scoreless inning to begin the sport.
The second inning is the place we noticed Ian Anderson run into the identical issues that normally each him at any time when he’s struggling: Management. Anderson led off the inning by strolling Junior Caminero earlier than giving up a single to Curtis Mead. After Caminero tagged as much as get to 3rd on a fly ball, he ended up making it dwelling after Kameron Misner delivered a productive out to place the Rays on the board. Anderson then walked Carson Williams and that was the tip of his day.
Right here’s extra about that productive out: It will’ve been a base hit if not for a extremely slick play by Eli White to assist hold the ball from going into the outfield. Certain, the run scored however that’s nonetheless a really good play to make and the kind of factor that normally tends to catch the correct set eyes throughout spring coaching.
So whereas Ian Anderson’s stuff nonetheless regarded completely superb whereas he was on the market, the walks are nonetheless an enormous concern for him going ahead. If he can nip that within the bud then I’d say he’ll have nearly as good of an opportunity as anyone to make the Opening Day roster. If this continues within the video games then which will grow to be a longshot of an concept for Anderson. Both manner, right now’s efficiency is one thing to construct upon and hopefully he’ll proceed to enhance going ahead.
After Jake McSteeen completed off the second inning, it was Grant Holmes’ flip to get his first spring coaching sport motion. Holmes ultimately completed with two innings below his belt and a strikeout however he did hand over an enormous fly whereas he was on the market. With two outs throughout his first inning of labor, Junior Caminero cam to the plate and crushed one to left heart area to make it a 2-0 sport for Tampa Bay at that time. (Aspect word: Caminero’s dwelling run trot right now was lots much less cooler than the one he had throughout that epic Sport 7 of the LIDOM Championship Sequence.)
The following inning for Holmes went swimmingly, although. He struck out Kameron Misner to steer off the inning after which acquired the subsequent two outs in brief order to complete his outing for the day. Holmes completed with two innings pitched, two hits allowed, one earned run (the aforementioned dinger) and one strikeout. This wasn’t a shutdown outing however aside from the house run, this was good things from Grant Holmes right here.
In relation to what was occurring on the plate, there’s not a lot to speak about! Eli White added a success and a stroll onto the nifty defensive play that he made, so he had himself a productive time whereas he was on the market. Aside from that, it was a fairly quiet day on the plate — particularly for the regulars, as the one one of many 5 regulars who began right now’s sport to get a base hit was Marcell Ozuna. Ozuna laced one out to proper to steer off the second inning and that was the lone hit between Austin Riley, Matt Olson, Ozuna, Michael Harris II and Orlando Arcia on the day.
The primary run of the day for Atlanta got here on a solo shot from Sandy León all the best way within the eighth inning of this one. León despatched one which floated deep to right-center for a solo homer off of Trevor Martin that put the Braves on the board. León is a particularly lengthy shot to make the Opening Day roster contemplating the scenario that the Braves at the moment have occurring at catcher so I’m not going to say that that is going to be big for León’s hopes of creating stated roster. Nonetheless, it’s at all times good to see balls flying over the fence at any level in spring coaching, so this was good to see.
The Braves added on one other within the ninth inning as non-roster invitee Conner Capel doubled dwelling a speedy Kevin Kilpatrick Jr. to make it a two-run sport. Nick Allen grounded out to finish the sport because the Braves sadly fell to 0-2 within the Grapefruit League right here in 2025.
So whereas this wasn’t precisely a banner day, it’s at all times day when a spring coaching sport comes and goes with none form of main harm. Each Ian Anderson and Grant Holmes can have extra probabilities to impress going ahead and the offense will possible get going sooner somewhat than later. The following probability they’ll get might be on the highway in opposition to the Orioles tomorrow at 1:05 p.m. ET, as Reynaldo López might be making his first begin of spring because the Braves proceed their preparations for the common season.
