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Following his fourth poor start to begin the 2012 season, the Atlanta Braves announced late on Monday night that Jair Jurrjens has been optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett. The move was announced after the players had left the clubhouse, so we will likely get more details on the move early Tuesday morning, according to MLB's Mark Bowman.
Jurrjens lasted just 3+ innings against the Dodgers, allowing five runs to score on nine hits and a walk. He did not strike out anyone and only induced two swings-and-misses at the plate. His ERA for the year is now 9.37.
The velocity on his fastball has dropped considerably since last summer and the lack of development on his breaking pitches is concerning. He simply just isn't the same pitcher that impressed so many in Atlanta from 2008-2010.
Tim Hudson is set to make his final rehab start on Tuesday night, likely meaning he will take Jurrjens' turn in the rotation come Saturday or Sunday against the Pirates. Many felt that 22-year-old Randall Delgado would be the one sent to the Minors once Hudson returned, but that appears to no longer be the case.
This is a very surprising move for the Braves, but undoubtably the right one. Even though he said he felt fine on the mound following another poor performance, Jurrjens clearly has something going on. Whether it be physical or mental, well, he should get plenty of time in Gwinnett to figure it out.
For more on the Braves, check out Talking Chop.