Minter (shoulder) retired two of the four hitters he faced in his spring debut Saturday in the Braves' 1-1 tie with the Rays. He struck out one and allowed an unearned run on a base hit and a walk.
Minter has been eased into workouts this spring after he concluded a rough 2019 on the 60-day injured list due to a bout of left shoulder inflammation. His appearance Saturday signals that he's healthy, but Minter may find himself on the outside looking in for a spot in the Braves' Opening Day bullpen. Per Mark Bowman of MLB.com, six pitchers are already assured spots in the Braves' projected eight-man bullpen, and Minter may be somewhat redundant as a second left-handed option behind Will Smith. A healthy Minter does have the arm talent to be a high-leverage weapon, however.