Greene recalled: 'I felt like I never left'

ATLANTA -- Nearly two months after watching the Braves play from beyond the outfield seats at Truist Park, Shane Greene returned to his perch within Atlanta’s bullpen.

Greene’s much-anticipated return was realized when the Braves recalled him from Triple-A Gwinnett prior to Sunday’s series finale against the Dodgers. The 32-year-old reliever remained a free agent until Atlanta signed him to a one-year, $1.5 million contract on May 9. He’ll receive the prorated portion of this salary, meaning his cost will be closer to $1 million.

“The offseason was longer than ever, and I’m as ready as I can ever be,” Greene said.

Greene made four appearances for Gwinnett before being added to the Major League roster. His preparation was a little more accelerated than a normal Spring Training schedule. But he spent some time over the past couple months throwing live batting practice sessions at various locations, including the Driveline complex in Seattle.

“The biggest thing for me coming back here was familiar faces, a familiar place and no transition period,” Greene said. “The day I showed up, I felt like I never left. So, they made it way easier to get ready when I got here, because I could be honest with everybody about how I feel.”

If Greene pitches like he did while posting a 2.60 ERA in 28 appearances for the Braves last year, he may indeed be exactly what the bullpen needs to once again become one of the team’s strengths. The relief corps has been inconsistent, but it showed its potential while limiting the Dodgers to one hit over four scoreless innings on Saturday.

With Greene present, the Braves have another high-leverage option. This will increase the strength of the relief corps and also allow manager Brian Snitker to manage the workloads of Will Smith, Chris Martin, A.J. Minter and Tyler Matzek.

“You know, obviously, I felt like we have some unfinished business. Being a Brave was definitely at the top of my priority list,” said Greene. “But it's a savage business out there. I’m just happy to be a baseball player. We could get really deep into the logistics of the business of baseball. But I don’t think now is the best time.”

Greene established himself as an All-Star reliever with the Tigers in 2019 and was traded to the Braves before that year’s Trade Deadline. He has a 2.39 ERA in 93 appearances going back to the start of 2019, but he still couldn’t find a job until a month of this season passed.

Greene was seen standing beyond the left-center-field seats during the Braves’ loss to the Phillies on April 11. The fact he was in Atlanta created reason to wonder if he was at least close to re-signing with his former team. But it would be another few weeks before the two parties started moving toward a deal.

“At that point in time I was I was literally just staying here for a night because my flights from where I was to get home were brutal,” Greene said. “I have family here. So, I flew in for the day and then realized the team was in town. It’s not often you get to be a fan at a Major League Baseball game when you’re living this life. So, me and one of my best friends got to be a fan, which was a lot of fun.”