Vines was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday.
The move comes one day after Vines held the Cubs to two runs over six innings in a no-decision Wednesday. He's being sent out in favor of AJ Smith-Shawver, who is starting Thursday's contest. Vines has made a nice first impression in the big leagues in 2023, holding a 3.98 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 14:7 K:BB over 20.1 frames.
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Braves' Darius Vines: Gets starting nod Wednesday
Rotowire
Vines is listed as Atlanta's probable starter pitcher for Wednesday's home game against the Cubs.
Atlanta's rotation depth has been tested in the final week of the season with Max Fried (finger) and Charlie Morton (finger) recently landing on the injured list and with Kyle Wright getting moved to the bullpen, so Vines will get the chance to make his second career big-league start. Since limiting the Rockies to two runs over six innings in his MLB debut Aug. 30, Vines has made his last three appearances with Atlanta as a reliever, pitching to a 5.40 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 4:4 K:BB over 8.1 innings. Though his long-term outlook is promising, Vines may not make for an appealing streaming option Wednesday, given that his innings could be managed carefully along with the fact that he'll be facing off against a Cubs squad that is still looking to clinch a wild-card spot.
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Braves' Darius Vines: Recalled from Triple-A
Rotowire
Vines was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett on Friday.
Vines is replacing Max Fried (blister) on the roster and could get a start over the final week-plus, although the rookie right-hander is more likely to be used for length in the bullpen. Vines holds a 3.27 ERA and 8:2 K:BB over 11 innings in three appearances (one start) for Atlanta this season, and per Jonathan Mayo and Sam Dykstra of MLB.com, he'll head straight to the Arizona Fall League right after the end of Atlanta's regular season.
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Braves' Darius Vines: Returns to Triple-A
Rotowire
Vines was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday.
Vines was called up by Atlanta on Wednesday and will head back to the minors after he delivered three solid frames of long relief Saturday against Pittsburgh. The 25-year-old has pitched well in his three big-league appearances this season with a 3.27 ERA and 0.91 WHIP over 11 innings, so he could receive another look during the closing weeks of the season.
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Braves' Darius Vines: Back in big leagues
Rotowire
Vines was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday.
Vines will join Atlanta's bullpen for now, but he's a candidate to draw a start this weekend against the Pirates as a replacement for Michael Soroka (forearm), who was placed on the 15-day injured list Wednesday. The rookie right-hander allowed two runs over six innings in a win over the Rockies in his major-league debut last week before being optioned back to Triple-A.
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Braves' Darius Vines: Returns to Triple-A
Rotowire
Atlanta optioned Vines to Triple-A Gwinnett on Saturday.
Though the young right-hander cruised to a win while striking out five over six innings of two-run ball in his big-league debut this past Wednesday in Colorado, he was sent back to Gwinnett to make room on the roster for a fresh relief arm in right-hander Ben Heller, who was called up from Triple-A in a corresponding move. Per Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Atlanta is likely to call up either of Michael Soroka or Dylan Dodd from Triple-A when the team breaks a new No. 5 starter into the rotation Tuesday versus the Cardinals. Vines will head back to the minors for now but should be an option to rejoin the big club later in September, either as a multi-inning reliever or starter.
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Braves' Darius Vines: Wins big-league debut in Colorado
Rotowire
Vines (1-0) allowed two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out five over six innings to earn the win in Wednesday's 7-3 victory over the Rockies.
Making his major-league debut at Coors Field, Vines had few issues with the Rockies' lineup. The runs against him came on an Ezequiel Tovar single and a Hunter Goodman sacrifice fly. Vines had a 2.86 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 25:11 K:BB over 28.1 innings with Triple-A Gwinnett after recovering from a shoulder injury, so his success isn't all that surprising. The rookie right-hander could have a chance to stick in Atlanta's rotation beyond Wednesday. If he does, he could pitch at home versus the Cardinals next week, though Atlanta may use Monday's off day to push him to the back a few days instead.
Braves' Darius Vines: Officially starting Wednesday
Rotowire
Vines will start for Atlanta on Wednesday in Colorado, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Vines was called up Monday and available in relief for a couple days, but after he wasn't needed out of the bullpen he's officially been tapped for Wednesday's start in what will be his major-league debut. The 25-year-old has come back from a shoulder injury to pitch well this season at Triple-A Gwinnett, posting a 2.86 ERA and 25:11 K:BB over 28.1 frames. Vines could end up making additional starts until Kyle Wright (shoulder) is ready to return from the 60-day injured list.
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Braves' Darius Vines: Joins big-league roster
Rotowire
Vines was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Vines has missed a large chunk of the season with a shoulder issue but has pitched well when healthy, including of late at Gwinnett with a 2.86 ERA and 25:11 K:BB over 28.1 frames. He will be available out of the bullpen for now, but if he's not needed the next two days, he could start Wednesday in Colorado. Vines will be making his major-league debut whenever he gets into a game.
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Braves' Darius Vines: Rejoins Gwinnett rotation
Rotowire
Vines (shoulder) was reinstated from Triple-A Gwinnett's 7-day injured list Thursday and struck out four while allowing one earned run on five hits and four walks over 4.2 innings in his return to the rotation.
Thursday's appearance marked Vines' season debut for Gwinnett after he was placed on the IL coming out of spring training on account of an inflamed right shoulder. He was cleared to begin a rehab assignment in late June and turned in a 2.40 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and 21:3 K:BB in 15 innings over his four starts between the rookie-level Florida Complex League and High-A Rome before he slotted back into the Gwinnett rotation. The 25-year-old right-hander is one of Atlanta's top pitching prospects and already has a spot on the 40-man roster, so a late-season promotion to the majors isn't out of the question if he excels in his next few outings at Triple-A and if the big club has a need for another impact arm.
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Braves' Darius Vines: Shifts rehab to High-A
Rotowire
Vines (shoulder) made his most recent rehab appearance Friday at High-A Rome, covering 4.2 innings and striking out five while allowing one earned run on three hits and zero walks.
The outing with Rome was the third of Vines' rehab assignment, which he kicked off June 30 in the rookie-level Florida Complex League. The right-hander has been on the shelf all season at Triple-A Gwinnett while he works his way back from a shoulder issue, but he looks on pace to make his 2023 International League debut either this week or next.
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Braves' Darius Vines: Out with shoulder inflammation
Rotowire
Vines has not pitched yet this season due to right shoulder inflammation, Baseball America reports.
Vines opened the year on the 7-day injured list, but this is the first reporting on the exact nature of his injury. It's good to know he hasn't undergone surgery, but shoulder injuries are still troublesome. If he is able to get healthy, Vines could be an option to help out the big-league rotation or bullpen in the second half.
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Braves' Darius Vines: Out with undisclosed injury
Rotowire
Vines is on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A Gwinnett with an undisclosed injury.
Given that Vines has had success in the upper levels and is on the 40-man roster, it seemed odd that he never factored into this spring's rotation competition in camp, so an injury makes sense. He has an excellent changeup that allows his low-90s fastball and average slider to play up. Vines should be considered out indefinitely until we get word on the nature of his injury.
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Braves' Darius Vines: Sent packing to Triple-A
Rotowire
Vines was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett by Atlanta on Friday.
Vines has impressed this spring and is one of the team's better pitching prospects, but he'll head to Gwinnett for a little more seasoning. A major-league debut in 2023 is certainly a possibility for the 24-year-old right-hander should a need arise.
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Braves' Darius Vines: Opens eyes in spring debut
Rotowire
Vines gave up one hit and struck out three in a scoreless inning during Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox.
It's generally foolhardy to draw too many conclusions from the sixth inning of a late February spring training game, but Vines certainly looked the part of a top pitching prospect Saturday as he leaned on his plus changeup to whiff three of the four batters he faced. The 24-year-old right-hander posted solid numbers in Double-A and Triple-A last season and appears poised to make his big-league debut at some point in 2023.
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Braves' Darius Vines: Shielded from Rule 5 draft
Rotowire
Vines was added to Atlanta's 40-man roster Tuesday.
Vines is one of the more underrated pitching prospects in the upper levels of the minors. The 24-year-old righty had a 3.95 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 21.8 K-BB% in 20 starts at Double-A and made seven appearances at Triple-A to close out 2022. He needs to refine his command and control in order to get a look in Atlanta's rotation at some point next summer.
