The Braves got a lot of attention a few days ago when they seemed to have agreed to the terms with free agent outfielder Yasiel Puig. Many fans were excited that the team had apparently addressed their need for a bat that can hit RHP, some fans and at least one local writer were clutching their pearls because they thought Puig was some kind of cancer in the locker room. A notion that was quickly dispelled by Charlie Culberson, who knew Puig from his time with the Dodgers.
However, all those thoughts on what the lineups with Puig would look like on them are out of place at the moment, as Puig announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19. Soon after, there were multiple reports that Puig’s deal with the Braves was closed … at least for now.
The Braves cannot be blamed for not signing Puig because of his positive test. They have no idea how long it will take to get out of COVID protocols, let alone be healthy and ready to play. If it turns out
More Braves News
Freddie Freeman and Touki Toussaint have been cleared to return
All of yesterday’s news was not bad as Freddie Freeman and Touki Toussaint returned to the field for the Braves. Both players had tested positive and Freddie in particular had been quite ill. With opening day just around the corner, it is definitely good news to see them. Now we wait for news about Will Smith …
The brave ride through the full gamut of COVID-19 related emotions in under an hour
Yesterday, Braves fans were on a roller coaster ride that saw fans excited to see Freddie back on the field, followed shortly by Yasiel Puig who was pulled out from under them. Demetrius guided us through what happened and how we look forward to each development prior to the season.
Braves Mailbag: Freddie Freeman, undrafted free agents, Brian McCann and more
Big boss Kris Willis answered questions from the masses where he talked about Freddie’s condition … this was before he came back later in the day of course the expectations of an undrafted free agent the legacy Brian McCann’s given the Astros scandal and Braves’ prospects playing in independent leagues. You should go read this. Kris is smart.
The Braves are well prepared for continued success at catching.
Even though their capture signings seemed patchy at times, the Braves have consistently assembled capture units producing at a high level in recent years. Now, with the sound of young studs on the way, they seem to be ready for the future.
Braves Player Group Profile: Patrick Weigel
We’ve been longtime Patrick Weigel fans here at Talking Chop. It’s unclear what role he’ll play in the Braves’ group during this bizarre 2020 season we’re prepared for, but here’s a quick rundown of who Weigel is as a pitcher and what he’s done in his career. until now.
MLB News
MLB and MLBPA released the latest COVID-19 test data
General data from the league’s COVID tests was released yesterday and, so far, the results are good. Not including admission evaluations, as teams have been monitoring players at camp, only 0.1% of the more than 17,000 monitoring tests have tested positive. While we have a long way to go, that is an encouraging sign.
Gregory Polanco tests positive for COVID-19
Unfortunately, one of the positive tests went to the Pirates’ Gregory Polanco, whom Pittsburgh was going to trust very much in what would already be a challenging season for them. Positive tests so close to opening day leave the Pirates looking for someone to fill the gap in right field.
