Braves Recall Ayala For Gearrin

October 1, 2012; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher

(38) splashes water on his face in the dugout after he pitched against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Baltimore Orioles 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Recently, we reported on the news that reliever Cory Gearrin has been optioned to AAA Gwinnett.  We now learn from AJC.com’s Carroll Rogers that Luis Ayala has been recalled to take Cory’s spot.

Gearrin has struggled mightily in recent weeks, and that after going 2-1 with a 3.77 ERA in 37 games for the Atlanta Braves.  Cory has not been called upon much in relief, pitching only one time in almost two weeks.  When he did pitch, he gave up a couple of runs late in the game in the Braves’ recent 6-3 loss to the Miami Marlins.  Prior to that relief chance, Gearrin faced two Milwaukee Brewer batters back on June 23, and walked both.  Clearly, the Braves were not happy with Gearrin’s performance.

In Gearrin’s place, middle reliever Luis Ayala will be brought back to join the club.  Ayala went on the DL with something you rarely hear about, but that may happen more often than we know – an Anxiety Disorder.  Doctors said the AD was caused by high blood pressure, but Ayala hasn’t pitched for the big club since April.  In five games for the Braves during that month, Ayala was 0-1, but pitched reasonably well with a 3.86 ERA.  In his minor league outings he has also struggled, but has been getting better of late, pitching a scoreless inning on Wednesday.  Ayala will get the chance to help the club again, and the Braves will hope that that the BP issues that led to the AD will be a thing of the past.