LOS ANGELES (AP/WRCB) - Cory Gearrin is on his way up, but that means Jair Jurrjens is on his way down.
The Atlanta Braves recalled Gearrin from Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday morning and the right-handed reliever will join the team Tuesday night for game two of a three-game series in Los Angeles.
He'll replace Jurrjens on the big-league roster after the team optioned the struggling starter to Triple-A late Monday night.
Jurrjens was an All-Star in 2011 and even garnered consideration to start the annual midsummer classic, but has been on a downward spiral since.
He lasted only three-plus innings in a Monday night's series-opening loss to the Dodgers. He retired only seven of the 17 batters he faced in the game- including opposing pitcher Chris Capuano on a sacrifice bunt - and was charged with five runs on nine hits in a 7-2 loss.
It was the first time Jurrjens failed to record a strikeout in 42 starts since April 29, 2010, at St. Louis, when he departed after one inning with a strained left hamstring.
Jurrjens led the Braves with 13 wins last season despite two trips to the disabled list, but so far is 0-2 with a 9.37 ERA in four starts in 2012.
Gearrin has been dominant in Triple-A after being the last bullpen cut in the Braves' final round of roster moves at the end of spring training. The Rhea County grad has yet to give up a run in 12 1/3 innings, recording 15 strikeouts and holding opponents to a .217 batting average.
He made his Major League Debut in San Diego last May after joining the Braves in the middle of a West Coast trip. It was one of his two stints in the big leagues in 2011.
