Roster battle update: Braves facing 5 decisions

NORTH PORT, Fla. -- With Opening Day a little more than two weeks away, Braves manager Brian Snitker has already prepared himself to make some tough decisions when it’s time to fill his final roster spots and determine who will begin the season as his starting third baseman.

“I think at the end of this camp, I’m going to have a rough couple days,” Snitker said. “I think that’s all good, honestly. It’s not fun, but it’s good. We’ll see. A lot can happen in the next two weeks. That’s why I’m going to live for today.”

By the time the Braves leave Spring Training on March 24, Snitker and president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos will likely have a good idea of who will be on their roster for the March 26 season opener in Arizona.

There’s always a chance a player currently with another team could be added before the end of Spring Training. But for now, here is a look at five pending issues on the Braves’ roster:

1) 40-man status
The Braves’ 40-man roster is full. This is important to remember because at least three non-roster invitees -- Félix Hernández, Josh Tomlin and Charlie Culberson -- would need to be added if they are placed on the Opening Day roster. It seems highly unlikely the club would opt to add more than three NRIs. This is not good news for those fans holding out hope that lefty reliever Tyler Matzek or first baseman Peter O'Brien might start the season with Atlanta.

2) Rotation battle
What we know: Mike Soroka, Mike Foltynewicz and Max Fried are slated to begin the season in the rotation. Given it’s still not clear when Cole Hamels (left shoulder inflammation) will be cleared to even start throwing again, there’s a chance he could be sidelined through at least the first half of May. So the Braves need to fill two rotation spots while anticipating the one spot could make approximately 10 turns before Hamels is deemed ready.

Hernández, Newcomb and Wright
Battle status: The $1 million salary Félix Hernández would get if placed on the active roster could be deemed a valuable cost, even if he simply serves as a bandage until Hamels returns. Sean Newcomb has pitched effectively enough through three starts to preserve his hope to be used as a starter this year. Kyle Wright has shown signs this could be his breakout year.

Current expectation: Hernández (who was impressive again Monday night) and Newcomb will fill the two current rotation vacancies. This will give Wright -- Atlanta’s No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline -- a chance to make a handful of starts at Triple-A and avoid the possibility of being thrust into Atlanta’s rotation too soon for a second straight year. As Wright makes the preparations that could strengthen his long-term value, the Braves will have a chance to determine whether Newcomb might be more valuable as a reliever.

3) Bullpen battle
What we know: Mark Melancon, Will Smith, Shane Greene, Chris Martin, Darren O’Day and Luke Jackson are slated to fill six of the eight bullpen spots. Snitker has said the success from Martin and Jackson against lefties, combined with the new three-batter minimum rule, could lead to Smith being the bullpen’s only lefty.

Battle status: Josh Tomlin will most likely once again serve as the team’s long-relief option. If the club was uncomfortable creating a 40-man spot for him, Touki Toussaint could be used in that role. But Toussaint has made enough strides to believe it’d be best to have him continue starting at Triple-A. The decision regarding the final bullpen spot could come down to whether Snitker wants another lefty. If so, Philip Pfeifer has a shot. If not, the spot could go to Patrick Weigel.

Current expectation: Unless the Braves acquire a more experienced lefty reliever, they’ll give the final spot to No. 16 prospect Weigel, who has the ability to be a key piece in a very talented and deep bullpen.

4) Bench battle
What we know: Outfielders Nick Markakis and Adam Duvall are expected to join infielder Adeiny Hechavarría and catcher Tyler Flowers to account for four of the five bench spots.

Battle status: Charlie Culberson and Yangervis Solarte are the top internal candidates for the final bench spot. Yonder Alonso’s candidacy is weakened by the Braves’ need for another infielder who can play multiple positions.

Current expectations: Familiarity will give the nod to Culberson, who has worked hard to prove he can be depended on at shortstop if needed. If the Braves opt to have Austin Riley start the year at Triple-A, Culberson or Solarte could quickly become the odd man out, because Riley’s return could move Johan Camargo to the bench.

5) Third base battle
What we know: Austin Riley has increased the expectation he could become a valuable everyday third baseman at some point this year. Johan Camargo came to camp much leaner and intent on reviving the promise he had before struggling as a bench player last year.

Current expectation: Even though Riley has created a lot of excitement about his potential, it might be best to see him continue producing at the Triple-A level for a couple of weeks. Camargo can handle the everyday role. But this club will be at its best with Riley as a dependable force in the middle of the lineup and the switch-hitting Camargo providing versatility both offensively and defensively.