Atlanta Braves News: The Morning Chop, Box Score, Teams HAVE Interest In Erick Aybar

Baseball Reference

Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: The Atlanta Braves took on the Chicago White Sox in game two of this three game series.  The Braves and Sox play on Sunday to end the first half of the 2016 season.  In back-to-back games, each team pounded the others “ace”.  Friday, Braves hit Chris Sale hard and Saturday White Sox totaled nine hits and five runs on Julio Teheran.  Oddly, this is the second game in a row the Braves had not started Jace Peterson.  This tells me they want to continue to show teams Erick Aybar can still play and give Gordon Beckham some reps after returning from the DL.  After back-to-back struggling games from Aybar.  I expect Beckham and Peterson to be in the middle infield on Sunday. 

Braves lose 5-4

Albandy Herald

Todd Frazier leads Chicago White Sox past Atlanta Braves

Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: Braves sent Julio Teheran to the mound after missing one start because of the ingrown hair infection.  He started off the game started off the game struggled, in the first three innings, he surrendered five runs on nine hits, walked one and struck out two.  The Braves had an early lead after Gordon Beckham hit a solo homer in the 1st inning.  But then Todd Frazier slammed a two-run home run to put the White Sox on top 2-1 in the 2nd inning.  The Sox never looked back as they added three runs in the 3rd inning.  Braves fought back when Francoeur hit a two-run shot in the 4th and Freddie Freeman hit an oppo homer in the 6th inning.  But that was it, the Sox went on to take the victory 5-4.

"Todd Frazier went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and three RBIs, and the Chicago White Sox held on for a 5-4 win over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday afternoon.Tim Anderson, Melky Cabrera, Brett Lawrie and J.B. Shuck added two hits apiece for the White Sox. Chicago (45-42) earned its fifth win in the past seven games and its eighth win in the past 12 games.Jeff Francoeur finished 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs to lead the Braves. Gordon Beckham and Freddie Freeman added solo home runs for Atlanta (30-58).Left-hander Jose Quintana (7-8) picked up his second straight victory despite allowing three home runs, which matched a season high. Quintana gave up four runs on five hits in six innings."

Outside Pitch

Atlanta Braves shortstop Erick Aybar drawing trade interest

Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: Erick Aybar has had a strange first half of the 2016 season.  The struggles, the chicken bone, the right foot contusion and now showing signs of life.  Since returning from the DL on June 12, he’s hit .284/.356/.395 for the Braves with six doubles, one homer, eight RBIs, and 10 runs.  He was cutting down on his strikeout rate, but in the past two games he’s had seven k’s.  Don’t expect much of a return…I can see a low pitching prospect coming back for him.

"Since joining the Atlanta Braves in the Andrelton Simmons trade, Erick Aybar has been a disappointment. The longtime Los Angeles Angel was expected to provide a stopgap at short while the Braves groom their middle infield of the future, Dansby Swanson and Ozzie Albies. What he wasn’t expected to do is challenge for the title of worst player in baseball (his -1.3 fWAR currently ties him for fourth lowest in MLB).Entering play on Saturday, Aybar is sporting a .218/.272/.275 line with one home run, two stolen bases, and sub-par defensive ratings. However, by some miraculous combination of need and desperation other teams have contacted the Braves with interest in trading for the 32-year-old. David O’Brien reported the news earlier this week via Twitter."