Carlos Almanzar signs minor league contract
The Braves signed right-handed relief pitcher Carlos Almanzar to a minor league contract in February. The team hopes that he will be ready to return in May or June from the Tommy John surgery he had last May. The strategy bears similarities to the team’s signing of Jay Powell last season. Hopefully Almanzar won’t blow his arm out like Powell did… The 32-year-old veteran went 7-3 with a 3.72 ERA playing for the Rangers in 2004.
At the same time, the Braves voided the minor league contract right-handed relief pitcher Jeff Bennett had signed with the club a month earlier. A pre-existing medical condition, an elbow injury he suffered while pitching for a minor league affiliate of the Brewers last season, was grounds for the team to nullify the agreement.
