The Braves expect Alex Wood to be a starter from this point on in the season, after he was optioned back to Triple-A Gwinnett Tuesday.
Wood, who had been pitching out of the bullpen for a month after opening the season as a starter for the Braves, will now be stretched out as a starter. According to MLB.com, Wood will throw up to 60 pitches in his first start at Triple-A Friday, and will be the first player the team calls on if a need for another start arises.
"We need him to go down and stretch out," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "There's no timetable. But he's a big piece of our organization and our future."
One obvious day Wood could return to Atlanta is June 28, when the Braves play the Phillies in a doubleheader. Otherwise, he will have to wait for a trade or injury to open up a rotation spot.