MLB NEWS

Braves, Rockies swap pitchers, catchers

The Sports Xchange

January 30, 2015 at 5:54 pm.

The Atlanta Braves continued to make player moves during the offseason, trading right-handed pitchers David Hale and Gus Schlosser to the Colorado Rockies on Friday for minor-league catchers Jose Briceno and Chris O’Dowd.

Hale, who began last year as the fourth starter in the Atlanta rotation, has the most major league experience of the four. He pitched in 45 games for the Braves last season with a 4-5 record and a 3.30 ERA and was expected to be in the mix for a starting spot this season.

The Braves apparently considered Hale expendable after they came to an agreement on a minor league contract with left-hander Eric Stults, who is expected to be invited to the team’s major league camp.

Stults, 35, made 65 combined starts for the San Diego Padres in 2013 and 2014 and posted a 8-17 record with a 4.30 ERA. He could compete for the fifth spot in the Atlanta rotation.

The 26-year-old Schlosser pitched in 15 games for the Braves last season and was 0-1 with a 7.64 ERA. He also appeared in 25 games (15 starts) for Triple-A Gwinnett and went 7-6 with a 4.17 ERA.

Briceno, 22, had 12 home runs and 50 RBIs in 84 games for Class A Ashville in 2014. He threw out 44 percent of runners who attempted to steal a base.

O’Dowd, the son of former Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd, bounced between Class A Modesto and Double-A Tulsa last year, batting a combined .271 with five home runs and 48 RBIs.

The Braves also completed a reported one-year, $4 million deal on Friday with free-agent outfielder Jonny Gomes, who played for the Boston Red Sox and Oakland A’s last year, batting .234 with six homers and 37 RBIs in 112 games.