The Atlanta Braves are inching closer to Opening Day, which means moves are coming to finalize their roster. The Braves have had an eventful Spring Training with a significant injury to Sean Murphy, injury scares to Jurickson Profar and Austin Riley and the rehab process of Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr., but the finishing touches are being made on who will head west when Atlanta opens the year against the San Diego Padres.
It led the Braves to make a pair of overnight moves on Monday that will shape the final roster. While one features the addition of a former All-Star, the other opens the door for a young player on the mound, giving Atlanta another layer of intrigue ahead of the 2025 season.
Braves Sign James McCann, Trade Angel Perdomo In Pair of Overnight Moves
The Braves were busy on Monday night, trading pitcher Angel Perdomo to the Los Angeles Angels and signing catcher Brian McCann to a one-year deal.
According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Justin Toscano, the Braves will receive cash or a player to be named later for Perdomo. The left-hander was vying for a spot in Atlanta’s bullpen after posting a 3-2 record and a 3.72 ERA in 29.0 innings for the Pittsburgh Pirates last season but he looked shaky in 8.1 innings of Grapefruit League action with just as many walks (four) as strikeouts (six).
Toscano also adds that McCann hasn’t had a Spring Training and will begin the season at Triple-A Gwinnett. The 34-year-old is a former All-Star after hitting .273/.328/.460 with 18 home runs and 60 RBI in 118 games with the Chicago White Sox but he’s bounced around since, spending time with the New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles. He also hit .234/.279/.388 with eight homers and 31 RBI in 65 games with Baltimore last season.
The two moves are significant developments toward the Braves’ Opening Day roster. Perdomo’s departure clears the path for AJ Smith-Shawver to claim a bullpen role. The 22-year-old has put up an eye-popping 33% strikeout rate in 12 innings this spring but has also allowed 15 hits and five earned runs during Grapefruit League action. Smith-Sawver was a candidate for the fifth rotation as well but could be leaned on in a long relief role to start the season.
McCann represents some much-needed depth at catcher. Murphy will miss the first month of the season after cracking a rib during Spring Training, leaving No. 1 prospect Drake Baldwin and Chadwick Tromp in line to begin the year in the majors. The Braves didn’t have much behind that duo as Sandy León was reassigned to minor league camp and Curt Casli was released on Monday.