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Braves call up lefty Kolby Allard for today's start

Originally posted on FanNation Braves Today
By Lindsay Crosby | Last updated 6/28/23

As announced last night, the Atlanta Braves have called up LHP Kolby Allard to start today's series finale against the Minnesota Twins.

Allard, who was drafted in the 1st round (#14 overall) by Atlanta in the 2015 MLB Draft out of high school, debuted for Atlanta on July 31st, 2018, getting his only Atlanta start against Miami. He went five innings with nine hits and four earned runs, striking out one and walking two, but earned the win as Atlanta put up nineteen hits in an eventual 11-6 victory. He made two more appearances, both in relief, before being traded to the Texas Rangers at the 2019 trade deadline in exchange for reliever Chris Martin.

Allard went 8-22 with a 5.65 ERA for Texas over four seasons, with sixty-two appearances (thirty-two starts) and Atlanta re-acquired him in November 2022 for starter Jake Odorizzi and cash considerations. The plan for Allard at the time was to serve as rotation depth in AAA Gwinnett, but he began the season on the IL after a Grade-Two right oblique strain suffered during spring training. He's made two starts in AAA Gwinnett in a rehab capacity, allowing two earned runs in six and two-thirds innings, striking out eight and walking two.

The corresponding move for the Allard callup was optioning Dereck Rodríguez to Gwinnett. The righty made one appearance for Atlanta, throwing two scoreless innings with one hit, one walk, and one strikeout to finish an 11-4 Braves victory over Philadelphia on May 28th. He was called up on Monday to the active roster, but did not appear in a game.