Braves' Scott Kazmir: Long shot to make MLB rotation

Kazmir (hip) enters spring training as a long shot to make Braves' rotation, Gabriel Burns of the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports.

He logged just 12 innings last season (all at Triple-A) due to hip and back issues, and when he pitched his fastball velocity sat in the mid-80s after averaging 91 mph in 2016. General manager Alex Anthopoulos said it's really hard to know what role the veteran lefty will play until they see how he looks this spring. Kazmir is due $16 million this season before becoming a free agent, but it's conceivable he is simply seen as a sunk cost on a team that has a bevy of young arms who need reps against big-league hitters. Julio Teheran, Mike Foltynewicz, Brandon McCarthy, Luiz Gohara and Sean Newcomb seem like the favorites to make the rotation out of camp.