No team claims Mike Foltynewicz, Braves outright him to Gwinnett camp

The Braves DFA’d Mike Foltynewicz following his porous start on Monday, which allowed all 30 teams to claim him… Nobody did, meaning he’s still with the team, just no longer on the 40-man roster.

The #Braves today outrighted RHP Mike Foltynewicz to the club’s alternate training site.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 30, 2020

Alex Anthopoulos went on MLB High Heat earlier today to discuss what ultimately led to designating Foltynewicz for assignment. He claimed there were no underlying issues, saying Folty stayed in shape during quarantine and was 100% healthy when he returned to camp. They just felt like from a competitive standpoint, his stuff wasn’t there anymore, and he was out of options. Considering the shortened season and that the Braves are one of two teams to begin with 20 games in 20 days, Anthopoulos felt like they had to make the move.

#Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos discussed the decision to DFA Mike Foltynewicz with @MadDogUnleashed on #HighHeat. pic.twitter.com/AaEpVXaZ4j

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 30, 2020

We’ll see if anything more comes out about Folty’s situation, but it’s definitely shocking that no team took a shot on him. Organizations are always looking for starting pitching, and his salary of just below $3 million for this shortened season is more than reasonable. Given his history, you’d think several teams would have interest. The fact that nobody did is a sign of just how far he’s fallen in the eyes of the rest of the league. Perhaps Foltynewicz will be able to build up his velocity in Gwinnett and return to the major-league club this season. I would consider it a longshot, but given the current state of the Braves rotation, it’s not unfathomable.