RSS Braves Team Notes

Braves Claim Joey Wentz, Designate Kevin Herget

The Braves have claimed left-hander Joey Wentz off waivers from the Twins, per a team announcement. Righty Kevin Herget was designated for assignment in a corresponding roster move.

It’s a full-circle moment for Wentz, whom the Braves originally drafted with the No. 40 overall pick back in 2016. The left-hander ranked among Atlanta’s top prospects for several years but was traded to the Tigers alongside infielder/outfielder Travis Demeritte in the 2019 trade that brought righty Shane Greene to the Braves.

Wentz made his major league debut with the Tigers in 2022 and had a nice start to his big league career (3.03 ERA in seven starts) before stumbling in subsequent seasons. Detroit gave Wentz a full audition in the rotation in 2023, but he was shelled for a 6.90 ERA in 105 2/3 frames. Those struggles prompted a move to the bullpen, but relief work hasn’t necessarily treated him much better. In 101 2/3 innings across the past two seasons, Wentz has a 5.42 ERA. That’s come in stints with Detroit, Pittsburgh and Minnesota.

Now 27 years old, Wentz had a particularly rough run in Minneapolis. He pitched eight innings as a Twin but was rocked for 14 runs on 17 hits (three homers) and nine walks with only six strikeouts. Minnesota designated him for assignment last week.

Wentz is out of minor league options, so he’ll go right onto the Braves’ big league roster. He’s now in line to make his debut with the team that originally drafted him nearly a decade ago, albeit in a highly circuitous manner. He’s fairly stretched out — Wentz tossed 48 pitches in a June 28 appearance, for instance — so he should be ready for multi-inning work as a long reliever or opener for an injury-riddled Braves staff that could lean heavily on bullpen games with four starters on the injured list.

Herget, 34, has pitched three major league innings in 2025 — two with the Mets and one with Atlanta. He’s spent most of the year in Triple-A, logging a 3.26 ERA in 30 1/3 innings split nearly evenly between the two organizations. He’s set 21.6% of his opponents down on strikes and issued walks at an 8% clip.

Herget has pitched in parts of four major league seasons and totaled 45 2/3 innings. He’s logged a 4.53 ERA in that time but fanned just 13.9% of the batters he’s faced. Herget has a strong 5.7% walk rate in that time. He’s sat 92.4 mph with his four-seamer in the majors, combining that offering with a cutter that sits 85.8 mph and a changeup that sits 83 mph. Herget has pitched 505 2/3 innings across parts of eight Triple-A seasons and recorded a 4.00 ERA. He’s in his final minor league option year. Atlanta will trade him or place him on waivers within the next five days.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/braves-claim-joey-wentz-waivers-twins-dfa-kevin-herget.html
 
Kevin Herget Elects Free Agency

Right-hander Kevin Herget has elected free agency in lieu of accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A Gwinnett, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. That indicates he cleared waivers after being designated for assignment by the Braves last week.

Herget, 34, was claimed off waivers from the Mets in May. Since then, he has mostly been on optional assignment, making just one appearance for Atlanta. That was a scoreless inning on July 1st, after which he was optioned back down to Gwinnett. The Mets claimed him off waivers from the Brewers in the offseason and gave him similar treatment. They mostly stashed him in the minors and only put him into one big league game before designating him for assignment.

Since he has previously been outrighted in his career, Herget has the right to reject outright assignments and has exercised that right. He has 45 2/3 major league innings under his belt, spread out over this year and the previous three seasons. In that time, he has a 4.53 earned run average, 13.9% strikeout rate, 5.7% walk rate and 35.9% ground ball rate.

His minor league work has been decent this year. Between Syracuse and Gwinnett, he has logged 30 1/3 Triple-A innings with a 3.26 ERA. His 21.6% strikeout rate, 8% walk rate and 41.6% ground ball rate are all pretty close to typical averages.

He will head to the open market to see what opportunities await him. Since he cleared waivers, he will probably be limited to minor league offers. If he eventually makes it back to the majors with some team, he can be optioned for the rest of this season but will be out of options in 2026.

Photo courtesy of Dale Zanine, Imagn Images
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/kevin-herget-elects-free-agency.html
 
MLBTR Podcast: Firings in Washington, Bad Braves, And An AL East Shake-Up

The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…


Plus, we answer your questions, including…


Check out our past episodes!


The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff. Check out their Facebook page here!

Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...ngton-bad-braves-and-an-al-east-shake-up.html
 
Braves To Activate Chris Sale On Saturday

After more than two months on the injured list, ace southpaw Chris Sale is set to make his return to the mound next weekend. David O’Brien of The Athletic relays that Sale is “penciled in” to be activated from the injured list and take the ball for Saturday’s game against the Phillies. Sale is on the 60-day injured list, so the Braves will need to clear a 40-man roster spot to accommodate his return once it becomes official.

The 59-71 Braves are ten games out of a Wild Card spot and have virtually no hope of making a run to the postseason at this point. Sale’s return isn’t likely to change that, but getting the 36-year-old veteran starts down the stretch will nonetheless be important for the likely future Hall of Famer personally. Sale is no stranger to injuries; his 2024 Cy Young award winning campaign saw him make 29 starts, his highest total since 2017. Through his first 15 starts of this year, Sale seemed to have not missed a beat: he pitched to a phenomenal 2.52 ERA with a 2.69 FIP and a phenomenal 30.8% strikeout rate.

Unfortunately, a ribcage fracture sidelined Sale back in June. He’s been out of the club’s rotation ever since, and in that time has become one among a pile of injured starters the Braves have been forced to replace. Reynaldo Lopez and AJ Smith-Shawver both hit the injured list with season-ending ailments before Sale got hurt, and since Sale’s injury that trio has been joined by Spencer Schwellenbach (fractured elbow) and Grant Holmes (elbow inflammation). Sale is the only one expected to return among that group this season, and when he arrives this weekend he’ll join Spencer Strider and top prospect Hurston Waldrep at the top of the Atlanta rotation. Behind that trio, Brian Snitker will like rotate between some combination of Joey Wentz, Bryce Elder, and recent waiver claim Cal Quantrill with Dane Dunning and Didier Fuentes also in the mix as potential depth options.

If Sale can return for five or six healthy and effective starts down the stretch, that should put him in a good position to have a normal offseason and once again be a fixture of the Atlanta rotation come 2026. With Marcell Ozuna and Raisel Iglesias both set to reach free agency and the club poised to miss the postseason for the first time since 2017, this offseason could be one that sees significant change come to the Braves organization. With so many homegrown players signed to long-term contracts, however, it could prove somewhat difficult to retool the roster in a substantial way. Listening to offers on a rental ace like Sale could be one way to accomplish that, but it seems unlikely that will even be considered given Atlanta’s firm position against making their ace available at the deadline.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/braves-to-activate-chris-sale-on-saturday.html
 
Alex Wood Announces Retirement

Alex Wood announced his retirement in a social media post on Friday afternoon. The 34-year-old southpaw steps away after an MLB career that spanned parts of 12 seasons and included an All-Star nod and a World Series title.

“For over half my life, every decision I’ve made has centered around how it would impact my baseball career. I’ve given every ounce of myself in pursuit of my lifelong dream of becoming a big leaguer. Playing 12 years in the show, reaching seven postseasons, winning a World Series, and earning an All-Star selection — I never could’ve imagined it would turn out this way,” Wood wrote.

“Baseball was my first love. Outside of God and my family, nothing else has shaped me the way this game has. Even writing this, I can’t help but smile thinking about how much I still love the game after all this time.” Wood goes on to thank his teammates, coaches, former teams, family and agents in a statement that readers can see in the post.

Wood attended the University of Georgia and was a second-round pick by the Braves in 2012. He was in the big leagues less than a year later. Wood turned in a 3.13 ERA in 77 2/3 innings in a swing role during the ’13 season. He helped the Braves to a 96-win season and an NL East title, making his first two playoff appearances in a Division Series loss to the Dodgers. He posted a 2.78 ERA across 171 2/3 innings a year later, seemingly establishing himself as a long-term rotation piece in Atlanta.

That’s not how things played out. Wood was carrying a 3.54 ERA over 20 starts the following year when the Braves made the regrettable decision to send him to the Dodgers in a 13-player, three-team trade to get then-prospect Hector Olivera. (Olivera went on to bat .245 in 30 major league games before a suspension for violating the league’s domestic violence policy ended his career.) Wood dealt with a few injuries but had a strong run in Los Angeles, highlighted by a career year in 2017.

That season, the southpaw won a career-high 16 games while posting a 2.72 earned run average in 27 regular season appearances. Wood earned his lone All-Star nod and finished ninth in NL Cy Young voting. He added 12 1/3 frames of four-run ball with 13 strikeouts in the postseason. It was the first of consecutive seasons in which he played a big role in the Dodgers winning the pennant. They returned to the Fall Classic in 2018, a season in which Wood recorded a 3.68 ERA over 151 2/3 innings.

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Wood’s first stint in Dodger blue ended after their second straight World Series defeat. Los Angeles packaged him alongside Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp and Kyle Farmer to the Reds for prospects Josiah Gray and Jeter Downs (whom they’d later include in respective trades for Max Scherzer/Trea Turner and Mookie Betts). Wood was a rental, and his only season in Cincinnati was marred by back problems.

He returned to L.A. the following winter on a buy-low $4MM free agent pact. Shoulder trouble combined with the shortened schedule limited him to 12 2/3 regular season innings, but Wood contributed 6 2/3 frames of one-run ball in October as the Dodgers went on to win the World Series. He signed with the Giants on a $3MM contract that winter. That proved an adept pickup, as Wood was able to make 26 starts while working to a 3.83 ERA for San Francisco’s shocking 107-win team. He worked 4 2/3 scoreless against the Dodgers in his lone playoff start, though the Giants came up just short in a five-game Division Series.

Wood re-signed with San Francisco on a two-year, $25MM free agent deal that didn’t pan out. He had an ERA north of 5.00 in 2022 and struggled with injuries the following season. He gave it another go on an $8.5MM contract with the A’s last year. His body again couldn’t hold up, as he only made nine starts before suffering a rotator cuff injury that required season-ending surgery. It’s an unfortunate ending but hardly diminishes Wood’s overall body of work.

He tallied more than 1200 innings with a 3.78 ERA between five teams. Wood won 77 games and recorded more than 1100 strikeouts. He was a solid playoff performer as well, posting a 3.11 mark in 37 2/3 innings divided across seven seasons. Injuries limited the volume, especially later in his career, but Wood was a quality mid-rotation starter when healthy throughout his 20s. He has a World Series ring and collected over $60MM in earnings, according to Baseball Reference. MLBTR congratulates Wood on an impressive career and wishes him the best in retirement.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/alex-wood-announces-retirement.html
 
Braves Claim Connor Seabold Off Waivers From Rays

The Braves have claimed right-hander Connor Seabold off waivers from the Rays, as announced by the Rays this afternoon. He was designated for assignment on Friday. David O’Brien of The Athletic notes that Seabold has been optioned to Triple-A, while right-hander Domingo González has been designated for assignment to open a space on the 40-man roster.

Seabold, 29, pitched for the Red Sox from 2021-22, the Rockies in 2023, and the Rays in 2025. Initially drafted by the Phillies in 2017, he was traded to Boston in August 2020. After starting a total of six games for the Red Sox and giving up 26 runs (25 earned) on 38 hits in 21 1/3 innings, he was DFA’d and traded to the Rockies. He filled a swingman role for Colorado in 2023, tossing 87 1/3 frames with a 7.52 ERA and 5.03 SIERA.

The Rockies released Seabold the following winter, and he signed a one-year pact with the KBO’s Samsung Lions. A successful year overseas (3.43 ERA and 158 strikeouts in 28 starts) earned him a minor league contract with the Rays this past February. However, he only made it into three games across two short stints with the big league club before he was DFA’d. While he pitched just fine in those three appearances (6 2/3 IP, 1 ER, 5 K), the problem was his performance at Triple-A Durham. In 16 games (10 starts), he allowed 44 runs, including 14 homers, with a concerning 57:26 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Nevertheless, the Braves must see something they like in Seabold. He will provide depth at Triple-A Gwinnett for now, and perhaps he’ll eventually contribute to a pitching staff that has been ravaged by injuries this year.

As for González, 25, the Braves will now risk losing the right-hander on waivers before he ever had the chance to pitch for their big league team. Originally a prospect in the Pirates organization, he went to the Braves in the minor league portion of the 2022 Rule 5 draft. Two years later, the Braves added him to their 40-man to prevent him from qualifying for minor league free agency. Yet, he hasn’t been as effective at Triple-A this year as he was last year, never impressing the front office enough to earn a call-up to the big league club. If González passes through waivers unclaimed, the Braves can outright him back to Gwinnett, but he’ll be eligible for minor league free agency again at the end of the season.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/braves-claim-connor-seabold-off-waivers-from-rays.html
 
Mariners Claim Domingo González

The Mariners announced that they have claimed right-hander Domingo González off waivers from the Braves and assigned him to Triple-A Tacoma. Atlanta designated him for earlier this week when they claimed righty Connor Seabold. Seattle’s 40-man roster had a vacancy but is now full.

González, 25, has no major league experience yet. Originally an international signing of the Pirates, Atlanta nabbed him in the minor league phase of the 2022 Rule 5 draft. A couple of years later, after the 2024 campaign, Atlanta added him to their 40-man roster to prevent him from reaching minor league free agency.

He had done some starting while in the Pirates’ system but has been almost exclusively a reliever since joining the Braves. His only two starts since switching organizations were two-inning stints as an opener. Over the 2023 and 2024 seasons, he logged 106 1/3 innings with a 3.55 earned run average. His 11.9% walk rate was a bit on the high side but he struck out 34.3% of opponents.

Given that performance, it’s understandable that Atlanta didn’t want him to get away and gave him a roster spot. But his results have backed up a bit this year. He has thrown 42 Triple-A innings with a 4.29 ERA, 21.4% strikeout rate and 11.5% walk rate. Those numbers seemingly prevented him from getting a big league call-up and also nudged him off the 40-man and onto the waiver wire.

For the Mariners, they had a free roster spot and have used it to scoop up González. Since he is in his first of three option years, the M’s could potentially be patient in trying to get him back on track. He has no major league service time yet, so he’ll be cheaply controllable for years to come if he can develop into a serviceable big league arm, though he’ll first have to show enough promise to hang onto a roster spot.

Photo courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel, Imagn Images
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/mariners-claim-domingo-gonzalez.html
 
Braves Designate Carlos Carrasco For Assignment

The Braves announced Thursday that they’ve designated right-hander Carlos Carrasco for assignment. Right-handed reliever Hunter Stratton has been recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett to take Carrasco’s spot on the roster.

Atlanta picked up Carrasco in a cash swap with the Yankees prior to the trade deadline. The Braves were simply in need of arms to log innings with so many members of their rotation on the injured list, and Carrasco had been pitching well with New York’s Triple-A club in Scranton. Carrasco’s tenure with the Braves kicked off decently, as he tossed a quality start in a no-decision against the Reds on deadline day.

The next two outings for Carrasco, however, were brutal. The 38-year-old righty was tagged for six runs in 5 2/3 innings versus the Marlins on Aug. 7 and was torched for another six runs in only two innings against his former Mets club just yesterday. Overall, he’s pitched 13 2/3 innings with Atlanta and recorded a 9.88 ERA: 15 runs on 22 hits (three homers) and seven walks with only nine strikeouts.

Carrasco made 29 solid starts for the 2022 Mets (3.97 ERA, 152 innings) but has now struggled greatly in three consecutive major league seasons. He’s pitched 239 1/3 MLB frames dating back to 2023 but logged only a 6.36 earned run average as his velocity, strikeout rate, walk rate and home run rate have all trended in the wrong direction. The Braves are likely to place Carrasco on release waivers within the next couple days, and he’d become a free agent upon clearing.

With Carrasco dropped from the staff, Atlanta will give starts to Spencer Strider, Erick Fedde, Bryce Elder, Joey Wentz and Hurston Waldrep. Reigning NL Cy Young winner Chris Sale is on the mend from the ribcage fracture that’s sidelined him for nearly two months and pitched two innings Tuesday in the first of what’ll be multiple minor league rehab starts.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/braves-dfa-carlos-carrasco.html
 
Braves Release Jackson Stephens To Sign With CPBL Team, Sign Anderson Pilar To Minor League Deal

1:00pm: MLBTR has learned that Stephens was released to sign with a team in Taiwan’s Chinese Professional Baseball League.

12:49pm: Right-hander Jackson Stephens has been released by the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. On the flip side, the Braves have signed right-hander Anderson Pilar to a minor league deal and he’s been assigned to Gwinnett.

Stephens, 31, signed a minor league deal with Atlanta in the offseason. He’s actually been putting up good numbers in the minors in a swing role. He has logged 49 Triple-A frames this year over four starts and 18 relief appearances. He has a 2.57 earned run average, 22.2% strikeout rate, 7.9% walk rate and 41.5% ground ball rate.

Atlanta has needed plenty of arms at the big league level this year, which each of Chris Sale, Reynaldo López, Grant Holmes, Spencer Schwellenbach, AJ Smith-Shawver and Joe Jiménez missing significant time. Despite the need for innings, they haven’t given Stephens the call. With his decent numbers, it’s possible he opted out his minor league pact.

Whether he triggered some kind of opt-out or this is a straight release, the result is the same. He’ll head out to the open market and assess his opportunities. He has 132 1/3 innings of major league experience with a 4.15 ERA, 19.4% strikeout rate, 9% walk rate and 40.4% ground ball rate.

As for Pilar, it’s not a surprise that Atlanta has scooped him up. They took him from the Marlins in the Rule 5 draft back in December. He came into camp with the club but couldn’t make the most of the opportunity. He tossed 5 2/3 spring innings, allowing nine earned runs on ten hits and six walks while striking out ten.

Atlanta returned him to the Marlins prior to Opening Day. He’s having a decent but not spectacular season. He tossed 44 1/3 Triple-A innings with a 4.26 ERA, 25.9% strikeout rate and 6.7% walk rate. His .311 batting average on balls in play and 62.3% strand rate are a bit to the unfortunate side. His 3.11 FIP is more than a full run better than his ERA. The Marlins released him earlier this week and Atlanta has quickly pounced on him. This time, they aren’t bound by the Rule 5 restrictions and don’t even need to give Pilar a roster spot.

Photo courtesy of Dale Zanine, Imagn Images
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...sign-anderson-pilar-to-minor-league-deal.html
 
Joe Jimenez Shut Down For Rest Of 2025 Season; Lopez, Schwellenbach Not Likely To Return

Joe Jimenez was shut down from throwing last week due to renewed soreness in his surgically repaired left knee. This seemed like a major obstacle to Jimenez’s chances of returning to action before the end of the 2025 season, and Braves manager Brian Snitker confirmed today to reporters (including Gabriel Burns of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution) that Jimenez indeed won’t be back in action this year. It also seems like injured starters Reynaldo Lopez and Spencer Schwellenbach have thrown their last pitches of 2025, as Snitker was doubtful either right-hander would be activated from the 60-day injured list before season’s end.

After pitching through knee soreness through much of 2024, Jimenez underwent surgery in late October to address what ended up being rather significant cartilage damage. Jimenez was given a broad recovery timeframe of 8-12 months, so an entirely lost season was always a possibility for the veteran right-hander. Some hopes were raised for a return when Jimenez started throwing bullpen sessions in early July, yet he wasn’t able to advance to the minor league rehab stage before his knee again began bothering him. It doesn’t appear as if the issue is anything beyond mere discomfort, so Jimenez should still be on pace to be fully healthy by the start of Spring Training.

Following six mostly inconsistent seasons with the Tigers, Jimenez hit a new level of performance after Atlanta acquired the reliever in a trade during the 2022-23 offseason. Jimenez posted a 3.04 ERA over 56 1/3 innings with the Braves in 2023, which earned him a three-year, $26MM extension to remain in Atlanta just before he was about to test the free agent market. The first season of that extension saw Jimenez deliver a 2.62 ERA over 68 2/3 frames in 2024, giving him an overall 2.81 ERA, 30.1% strikeout rate, and 7.2% walk rate over 125 total innings in a Braves uniform.

Jimenez’s knee surgery ended up being a harbinger for an injury-riddled season for the Atlanta pitching staff. Spencer Strider (who began the year on the IL recovering from an internal brace surgery) is the only member of the Braves’ first-choice rotation that is currently healthy, as Lopez, Schwellenbach, AJ Smith-Shawver, and reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale are all on the 60-day injured list. Sale is the only one of that group that might pitch again in 2025, as he is set to make his second minor league rehab start on Sunday as he tries to work his way back from a ribcage fracture.

Smith-Shawver underwent a Tommy John surgery in June, so his entire 2026 season could be in jeopardy as well as what remained of his 2025 campaign. There isn’t much surprise that Lopez and Schwellenbach have also both been unofficially ruled out, as since the Braves are out of the playoff race, there isn’t much value in having either pitcher go through a full rehab process just to pitch a few meaningless innings in late September.

Lopez made just a single start before undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder in early April. This came with a shutdown period of 8-12 weeks, and while Lopez has started throwing, he won’t have time to build up his arm for a full starter’s workload. Burns suggests that if Lopez is able to return, it would only be in a relief role, which might only happen if the Braves are considering moving the right-hander back to the bullpen in the wake of his injury situation. Lopez’s return to a full-time starter’s role in 2024 worked brilliantly when he was healthy (1.99 ERA in 135 2/3 IP), but he dealt with forearm and shoulder issues in the latter part of that season, prior to the surgery that has entirely marred his 2025 season.

Schwellenbach helped paper over some of Atlanta’s rotation woes when he produced a 3.09 ERA over 110 2/3 innings this year, but the injury bug bit him too in the form of a small right elbow fracture in early July. He was almost immediately moved to the 60-day IL in the wake of that injury and isn’t eligible to return until the first week of September at the earliest, but it instead looks like the right-hander will get an early jump on his offseason.

In better injury news, Ronald Acuna Jr. could be activated from the 10-day IL as early as tomorrow. Acuna hasn’t played since suffering a calf strain on July 29, but the star outfielder seems to be on the verge of a relatively quick return. Though Acuna has been limited to 55 games due to his calf injury and his recovery from the torn ACL that prematurely ended his 2024 season, the former NL MVP has still looked to be in superstar form, hitting .306/.429/.577 with 14 home runs in 238 plate appearances.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...lopez-schwellenbach-not-likely-to-return.html
 
Braves Activate Ronald Acuña Jr., Outright Sandy León

The Braves announced Friday that they’ve reinstated star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. from the injured list. In order to open a roster spot, veteran catcher Sandy León was assigned outright to Triple-A Gwinnett after clearing waivers.

Acuña missed nearly three weeks with a Grade 1 strain in his right calf. It’s the second IL stint of the season for the five-time All-Star and former National League MVP. He opened the season on the shelf while finishing off the rehab from last year’s surgery to repair a torn left ACL.

Between those two IL stints, Acuña was in vintage form. He came to the plate 238 times and slashed a sensational .306/.429/.577 with 14 home runs, nine doubles, a triple and four stolen bases. Acuña walked in a massive 17.6% of his plate appearances, averaged 92.3 mph off the bat and logged a massive 53% hard-hit rate. By measure of wRC+, he was 78% better than the league-average hitter at the plate.

It’s a generally lost season for the Braves, but Acuña surely wants to get a healthy finish under his belt so he can feel good heading into next season. Injuries have hobbled him repeatedly in recent years. He averaged only 102 games per season from 2021-24.

As for the veteran León, he’s been on the roster since July 21 but appeared in only two games and took just one plate appearance. He’s been an emergency third catching option for manager Brian Snitker, but Atlanta has been plugging catchers Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy into the lineup on a daily basis, rotating that pair between the catcher and designated hitter spot. That’s left minimal opportunity for the 36-year-old León, who hit .183/.250/.379 in 169 Triple-A plate appearances this season.

León is a veteran of 13 major league seasons. He’s rarely provided much help with the bat in that time — evidenced by a career .208/.276/.310 batting line in the majors — but has nonetheless carved out a lengthy career on the strength of his defensive acumen, game-calling skills and leadership. He has the right to reject his outright assignment if he chooses.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/braves-activate-ronald-acuna-jr-outright-sandy-leon.html
 
The Braves’ Bleak Middle Infield Outlook

Not long ago, everything seemed to be working for the Braves. They were a player development factory not only churning out quality big leaguer after quality big leaguer -- but frequently signing those players to long-term extensions. As recently as 2022, Atlanta had nearly an entirely homegrown roster full of stars who'd penned long-term deals. Michael Harris II and Spencer Strider burst onto the scene in '22, and Atlanta had Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson, Ronald Acuña Jr. all signed long-term. Harris and Strider joined the group midway through their rookie seasons.

There were some exceptions. Freddie Freeman had walked in free agency. By the end of the 2022 season, it increasingly seemed as though Swanson and Max Fried would follow suit. They eventually did, but with young infielders like Vaughn Grissom and Nacho Alvarez Jr. impressing in the minors, there was some hope on the horizon.

Much of that core remains in place, but there are far more questions on the roster now. There's no area where that's more true than in the middle infield. With the Braves seemingly facing a budget crunch this past offseason, they made a low-cost addition of defensive standout Nick Allen to hold things down at shortstop while hoping for a rebound from Albies after a pedestrian 2024 showing. It hasn't worked out all that well, particularly at second base, where Albies' struggles have mounted to the point that many fans would prefer to move on entirely -- despite what once appeared a pair of extraordinarily affordable $7MM club options on Albies' 2026 and 2027 seasons.

How will the Braves handle their middle infield situation moving forward? Let's look ahead to the offseason.

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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/the-braves-bleak-middle-infield-outlook.html
 
Braves Outright Davis Daniel

The Braves sent right-hander Davis Daniel outright to Triple-A Gwinnett, according to the MLB.com transaction log. The tracker also indicates that Carlos Carrasco elected free agency after being designated for assignment on Thursday. Daniel had not previously been DFA, so his removal from the 40-man roster drops their count to 37.

Atlanta acquired Daniel in a minor offseason trade. The Auburn product had been designated for assignment by the Angels, who flipped him to the Braves for minor league pitcher Mitch Farris. Daniel has spent much of the season on optional assignment to Triple-A. He has made three big league appearances (two starts) and allowed six runs on nine hits and seven walks over 10 innings. The minor league results haven’t been a whole lot better. Daniel has pitched to a 5.32 earned run average with a subpar 18.8% strikeout rate through 88 frames with Gwinnett.

Over parts of three big league campaigns, Daniel carries 5.13 ERA across 52 2/3 innings. This is his fifth season in Triple-A. He owns a 5.40 mark in 67 appearances at the top minor league level. This is Daniel’s first career outright, so he doesn’t have the ability to decline the assignment. He’ll remain with the Stripers for the remainder of the season.

The Braves acquired Carrasco to patch together a couple starts. He took the ball three times but was tagged for 15 runs while averaging fewer than five innings per appearance. The 38-year-old righty has an ERA above 7.00 between the Yankees and Braves. He’ll be limited to minor league offers if he intends to continue pitching.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/braves-outright-davis-daniel.html
 
Braves Re-Sign Carlos Carrasco To Minor League Deal

The Braves re-signed veteran righty Carlos Carrasco to a minor league contract after designating him for assignment last week, as first indicated on the transaction log at MiLB.com. Carrasco cleared waivers, briefly elected free agency, and now returns on a new minor league where he’ll serve as a depth arm for an injury-plagued Braves staff. Carrasco will head to Triple-A Gwinnett for the time being.

Carrasco opened the season with the Yankees after signing a minor league deal in the winter. He was roughed up for a 5.91 ERA in eight games (six starts) before being removed from the Yankees’ 40-man roster. He stuck around with their Triple-A club until an Atlanta team that was desperate for innings after a series of rotation injuries acquired Carrasco for cash prior to the trade deadline.

The 38-year-old Carrasco tossed a quality start against the Reds on deadline day but was tagged for six runs in 5 2/3 frames his next time out and six more runs in just two innings in his third start with the Braves. He wound up pitching 13 2/3 innings overall and logging a 9.88 ERA during his brief run with Atlanta. Combined with his earlier Yankees struggles, Carrasco has limped to a 7.09 ERA in 45 2/3 innings this season.

Carrasco made 29 solid starts for the 2022 Mets (3.97 ERA, 152 innings) but has now struggled greatly in three consecutive major league seasons. He’s pitched 239 1/3 MLB frames dating back to 2023 but logged only a 6.36 earned run average as his velocity, strikeout rate, walk rate and home run rate have all trended in the wrong direction.

The Atlanta rotation currently includes Spencer Strider, Erick Fedde, Bryce Elder, Hurston Waldrep and Joey Wentz, although Chris Sale is on the mend and expected to return soon. Sale tossed 56 pitches over four innings of one-run ball in his second Triple-A rehab start yesterday. He’s been out since mid-June due to fractures in his ribcage.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/braves-re-sign-carlos-carrasco-to-minor-league-deal.html
 
Braves Claim Jake Fraley

The Braves announced that they have claimed outfielder Jake Fraley off waivers from the Reds. Cincinnati designated him for assignment a couple of days ago. Atlanta has multiple 40-man vacancies. They will need to open an active roster spot once Fraley reports to the team, as he can’t be optioned to the minors without his consent.

Fraley has had some major league success but isn’t having his best season. He has had a couple of stints on the injured list, one due to left calf tenderness and another due to a right shoulder sprain. Those injuries limited him to 67 games with the Reds. His .232/.332/.387 batting line translated to a 98 wRC+, indicating he was 2% below league average. He only stole four bases, despite getting at least 20 in the previous two seasons.

The Reds squeezed him off their roster, opting to give some of his playing time to Will Benson as they are trying to make a playoff push. Atlanta is in a different situation, as they are out of contention this year. Fraley can be retained for 2026, so they can give him some playing time down the stretch to see if he’s worth tendering a contract for next year.

His career has had ups and downs but there are things to like in his profile, particularly his ability to succeed with the platoon advantage. A left-handed hitter, he has a career .260/.344/.434 line and 112 wRC+ against righties. Against southpaws, that line is just .172/.269/.234, leading to a 45 wRC+. As mentioned, he can swipe a few bags as well. He only has four this year but got 21 in 2023 and 20 last year.

Defensively, the reviews are mixed. Playing all three spots, he’s been credited with four Outs Above Average in his career. Defensive Runs Saved gives him a far worse grade of -9. However, DRS hates his work in center and right field but likes him in left.

Fraley is making $3.125MM this year and, as mentioned, can be retained for next year via arbitration. This year’s injuries will limit his ability to earn a massive raise. Atlanta evidently feels there’s a possibility to him serving a role on next year’s club, so they have grabbed him today.

Atlanta’s current outfield mix includes Ronald Acuña Jr., Jurickson Profar, Michael Harris II, Eli White and Vidal Bruján. They have Marcell Ozuna as the designated hitter on a regular basis but he’s an impending free agent. It’s possible the club wants to use next year’s DH spot to get more at-bats for the catching duo of Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy, but they could also rotate some outfielders through there. It’s been speculated that they might make Murphy available in trades this winter to give the job to Baldwin and clear some payroll space. Others have speculated that they might make Profar available since he got hit with a PED suspension shortly after signing. Trading either would open up some more playing time for others.

Those are questions still to be answered in the long run. Atlanta is not committed to including Fraley in next year’s plans as they could always non-tender him after 2024. For now, Fraley will jump into the current outfield mix. Perhaps Acuña will get some time off his feet down the stretch since his health has been touch-and-go this year. He was still recovering from last year’s ACL tear at the start of the 2025 campaign. More recently, he missed a few weeks due to a calf strain.

Photo courtesy of Ken Blaze, Imagn Images
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/braves-claim-jake-fraley.html
 
Braves Claim Cal Quantrill

The Braves have claimed right-hander Cal Quantrill off waivers from the Marlins, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. It was reported earlier this week that the Fish had put the righty on waivers in an attempt to dump his salary. It appears their division rival has helped them out in that regard. Atlanta has open 40-man space but would need to open an active roster spot for Quantrill once he reports to the team.

Quantrill, 30, is a veteran back-end starter. He doesn’t strike out a ton of guys but avoids walks and hasn’t been hurt very often. The Marlins gave him a one-year, $3.5MM deal coming into 2025. In return, he gave them 109 2/3 innings over 24 starts. His 5.50 earned run average and 17.4% strikeout rate aren’t amazing figures, but he had a good stretch in the middle, sandwiched around some rough outings.

At the end of April, Quantrill had made six starts and was sitting on an ERA of 8.10. He then settled in for three good months, making 15 starts over May, June and July with a 3.55 ERA, 21.3% strikeout rate and 5.6% walk rate. But he was then lit up for an 11.25 ERA in his three most recent appearances.

The Fish are playing out the string on another non-competitive season and have some other pitchers they could call upon to take Quantrill’s spot, so they put him on waivers to get out of paying the rest of his contract. Kevin Barral of Fish on First reports that Ryan Gusto, acquired in the Jesús Sánchez trade, will be recalled to start Friday’s game against the Blue Jays.

While the Marlins’ end of this transaction makes sense, it’s surprising to see Atlanta put in the claim. That club definitely needs innings with their injury-battered rotation but they are also winding down a lost season. They are 58-69, 9.5 games out of a playoff spot, two games behind the Marlins. Quantrill is still owed a little more than $700K, with $500K of performance bonuses also in the deal.

It’s unknown how Quantrill can trigger the bonuses but the $700K is notable on its own. It’s not really a ton of money relative to MLB payrolls but it’s odd that Atlanta is incurring that extra cost for a lost season. Quantrill is an impending free agent, so there’s no long-term benefit, unless the club wants to get a close-up look at him and offer him a deal for next year.

But as mentioned, in the short term, they could definitely use solid rotation innings. They have each of Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, AJ Smith-Shawver, Reynaldo López and Grant Holmes on the injured list. Sale is the only one in that group who seems to have a shot at returning this season.

That leaves the club with a rotation consisting of Spencer Strider, Hurston Waldrep, Bryce Elder, Joey Wentz and Erick Fedde. Both Wentz and Fedde were recently scooped up after being cast off by other teams and now Quantrill joins them in that category. Wentz and Fedde are out of options, so one of them could end up in a long relief role or designated for assignment when Quantrill joins the club. It’s also possible Elder gets optioned down to Triple-A. Sale got up to four innings on his most recent rehab start and will be back in the mix soon as well.

Photo courtesy of Jordan Godfree, Imagn Images
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/braves-claim-cal-quantrill.html
 
Austin Riley Undergoes Season-Ending Core Surgery

The Braves announced today that third baseman Austin Riley has undergone core injury surgery, which will end his season, though he is expected to return for spring training 2026. He is already on the 10-day injured list. He’ll be transferred to the 60-day IL once the club needs his 40-man roster spot.

The club also announced their previously-reported claim of right-hander Cal Quantrill, with righty Dane Dunning optioned in a corresponding move. They also activated outfielder Jake Fraley, another waiver claimee, and recalled left-hander Dylan Dodd. In corresponding moves for those two, they optioned right-hander Connor Seabold to Triple-A and placed infielder Luke Williams on the 10-day IL due to a strained left oblique, retroactive to August 19th.

In the short term, the Riley news isn’t a huge deal for Atlanta. They are playing out the string on a lost season. They are 58-69 and 9.5 games back of a playoff spot. As mentioned, Riley was already on the injured list, having landed there earlier this month due to an abdominal strain. Losing him for the rest of 2025 doesn’t mean much.

The more notable concern is the long term. This the second straight year that Riley will finish on the injured list. In 2024, his last appearance was August 18th, when he was hit on the hand by a pitch. He suffered a fracture and wasn’t able to return down the stretch.

From 2021 to 2023, Riley appeared in at least 159 games each season. He slashed a combined .286/.354/.525 for a 136 wRC+ over that time. FanGraphs credited him with at least 5.1 wins above replacement in each of those campaigns.

His contributions since then have been more modest. Last year, even before the hand fracture, he wasn’t at his best. He had a .256/.322/.461 line and 114 wRC+, still 14% above league average but not up to his previous standard. This year, he has twice gone on the injured list due to abdominal issues and has now gone under the knife. He will finish the year with a .260/.309/.428 line and a 103 wRC+.

Atlanta has seen a number of players struggle or get injured this year, which has naturally made the team worse. A lot of those players, including Riley, have been locked in by long-term extensions. That means the club can’t do much apart from hope that their guys bounce back and perform better going forward. Riley’s ten-year, $212MM contract runs through 2033, so he’s still a huge part of the club’s future. Ideally, getting over this issue and coming into 2026 healthy will get him back on track, though time will tell if will come to pass or not.

Photo courtesy of Dale Zanine, Imagn Images
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/austin-riley-undergoes-season-ending-core-surgery.html
 
Braves Release Erick Fedde, Place Aaron Bummer On 15-Day IL

The Braves announced that right-hander Erick Fedde has been released, and that left-hander Aaron Bummer was placed on the 15-day injured list due to inflammation in his throwing shoulder. Right-handers Wander Suero and Hunter Stratton were called up from Triple-A in corresponding roster moves.

It was just under a month ago that Fedde came to Atlanta in a trade with the Cardinals, with St. Louis covering Fedde’s remaining salary (roughly $2.7MM) for the slight return of cash considerations or a player to be named later. The Cards wanted to move an impending free agent in order to create more room in their rotation for younger pitchers, while the Braves just needed a fresh arm to cover innings in the wake of a swath of injuries to their starting pitching.

Unfortunately for Fedde and the Braves, the move didn’t work out. Fedde posted an 8.10 ERA over 23 1/3 innings in Atlanta, with an equal number (13) of walks and strikeouts over his five appearances. This gives Fedde a 5.76 ERA over 125 combined innings with St. Louis and Atlanta during the 2025 season, and a particularly glaring 10.32 ERA in his last 41 innings of work.

Cal Quantrill was claimed off waivers from the Marlins earlier this week in the Braves’ latest attempt at finding rotation help, which took Fedde out of a starting role. Though Atlanta could have designated Fedde for assignment, the straight release probably just streamlines the process and allows Fedde to reach the open market in a bit quicker fashion.

As extreme as Fedde’s recent struggles have been, it is possible he lands elsewhere before the 2025 season is over just because teams are forever in need of pitching depth. It was just a season ago, of course, that Fedde returned from a one-season sojourn in the KBO League to post a very solid 3.30 ERA over 177 1/3 innings with the White Sox and Cardinals in 2024. Another team might be interested in seeing if Fedde can recapture any of that form, and Fedde would surely love to end his season on some kind of a high note.

The seriousness of Bummer’s shoulder issue isn’t known, but since the Braves are out of the race, it is possible the southpaw could be shut down for the remainder of the season. Bummer has a 3.81 ERA, a solid 7.6% walk rate, and a below-average 21.6% strikeout rate over 54 1/3 relief innings for Atlanta this season, with that K% a marked step down from the 29.3% rate Bummer posted from 2020-24. Bummer’s 53.9% groundball rate is also a career low but still elite in relation to the rest of the league, which speaks to the left-hander’s prominence as one of the baseball’s top grounder specialists.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...ck-fedde-place-aaron-bummer-on-15-day-il.html
 
Poll: NL Rookie Of The Year Check-In

Within the last few years, the Rookie of the Year award has grown to have more meaning than it had in the past. Changes in the most recent collective bargaining agreement allow the award to bestow a full year of MLB service time on the top two finishers, even if they would have otherwise entered the offseason with less than that. Beyond that, any player who was a top-100 prospect on a pair of prominent preseason lists (Baseball America, MLB.com, ESPN) can net his club an extra pick by winning the award if he breaks camp with his club or was called up less than two weeks into the season. That’s raised the stakes on the two Rookie of the Year races, but who will ultimately come out on top?

Here’s a look at this year’s candidates in the National League, listen in alphabetical order by last name:

Drake Baldwin, C, Braves

The 24-year-old Baldwin is having a banner rookie season for Atlanta after an injury suffered by Sean Murphy during Spring Training opened up the Opening Day catcher job. Baldwin took the reins and never looked back. Through 96 games, he’s hitting .276/.347/.454 with a wRC+ of 126. He’s smacked 14 homers in 337 plate appearances, but more impressive is Baldwin’s plate discipline. The youngster is striking out just 16% of the time while walking at a solid 8.9% clip. That production has been enough to get the lion’s share of time behind the plate in spite of Murphy’s status as a former All-Star and Gold Glove award winner on a hefty contract. If there’s an issue with Baldwin’s profile, it’s that he’s a merely pedestrian defender behind the plate. Scouts expected him to be no more than average behind the plate, and so far the metrics have played that out as he has -1 Catching Runs this year according to Statcast. Baldwin and Murphy are now splitting the workload between catcher and DH, so Baldwin should see regular at-bats down the stretch. If he wins the award, he’ll net the Braves a PPI pick.

Isaac Collins, OF, Brewers

Collins celebrated his 28th birthday last month, making him by far the oldest player on this list. He’s been a game changer for an excellent Brewers club in left field, however, with a .270/.368/.421 (125 wRC+) slash line in 109 games. Collins has chipped in 28 extra-base hits and 15 steals and drawn walks at an excellent 12.3% clip. That penchant for drawing walks fuels an on-base percentage that sits just barely outside the top 20 among hitters with at least 300 plate appearances this year. Collins’ age and lack of a premium defensive position could hold him back in the eyes of some voters, but the switch-hitter does have one big thing going for him: he’s doing his best work now. Since the All-Star break, Collins has hit .288/.377/.475 with a wRC+ of 139.

Cade Horton, RHP, Cubs

The Cubs’ first rounder in the 2022 draft, Horton came up to fill out the rotation in a pinch back in May and has generally looked the part of a quality big league starter. He’s pitched to a 2.88 ERA and 3.71 FIP in 93 2/3 innings of work. That’s by far the best ERA among all rookie pitchers with at least 80 innings, and he’s been on the shortlist for the best pitcher in baseball since the All-Star break with a microscopic 0.49 ERA, a 2.61 FIP, and 24.8% strikeout rate. Horton’s season-long strikeout rate of just 20.1% isn’t all that impressive, and his relatively limited innings may hurt him with some voters. Even so, the 24-year-old should get plenty of attention with the way he’s pitched in the second half so far, and a big final month could further cement his case. Horton was on consensus top-100 prospect prior to the season but wasn’t called up early enough to net the Cubs a pick based on this year’s Rookie of the Year voting (though he could still garner them a pick with a top-3 Cy Young finish before reaching arbitration).

Chad Patrick, RHP, Brewers

Patrick might be overlooked by some voters who could be attracted to the strong second half numbers of Collins and Horton. Even so, he’s a legitimate contender for the award. Patrick’s 105 innings across 21 appearances (20 starts) lead NL rookies. He’s posted a 3.60 ERA with a nearly identical 3.68 FIP while striking out 23.9% of his opponents. Perhaps the biggest flaw in Patrick’s case is that the Brewers optioned him to Triple-A for just over a month. He didn’t pitch in the majors between July 5 and Aug. 19. He’s also worn down as the season has gone on, with a 5.09 ERA and 4.45 FIP in his last seven starts. Patrick will need to turn things around in September if he’s going to make a play for the award, but a strong start to his big league career in April and May could be enough to keep him in the conversation.

Other Options

That aforementioned quartet appear to be the likeliest candidates for the award, but they aren’t the only names to consider. Playing time will be a factor for Miami’s Jakob Marsee, but if the 24-year-old can keep hitting the way he has in 26 games since his Aug. 1 recall (.356/.422/.667, 195 wRC+), his otherworldly performance will get some attention anyway. Teammate Agustin Ramirez leads NL rookies in home runs (18) and plate appearances (463), but he’s posted awful defensive marks behind the plate and is sitting on a .287 on-base percentage (.228/.287/.424 overall). Brewers righty Jacob Misiorowski was the talk of the game after his first few starts, but he spent two weeks on the injured list after being clipped by a comebacker and has been tagged for 13 earned runs in his past 14 1/3 innings (four starts). He’s only at 43 2/3 innings on the season, too, which hurts his candidacy.

Hyeseong Kim has been an above-average hitter for the Dodgers and contributed defensive versatility, but he’s been on the injured list for a month and is unlikely to get enough playing time to merit consideration. Nationals righty Brad Lord is in the midst of a solid season as a swingman, but a 5.47 ERA in August does him no favors. Third basemen Caleb Durbin and Matt Shaw have both had decent enough years but are sure to be overshadowed by their teammates when it comes to balloting.

Who do MLBTR readers think will ultimately come out on top in the NL’s Rookie of the Year balloting? Have your say in the poll below:

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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/poll-nl-rookie-of-the-year-check-in.html
 
Braves Select John Brebbia

The Braves announced Friday that they’ve selected the contract of right-hander John Brebbia from Triple-A Gwinnett. Atlanta also recalled righty Nathan Wiles from Gwinnett, while lefty Austin Cox and righty Wander Suero were optioned to Triple-A. The Braves already had a pair of 40-man vacancies, so they won’t need a corresponding 40-man move to accommodate Brebbia’s addition

The pair of promotions will provide manager Brian Snitker with some fresh arms after yesterday’s blowout loss to the division-rival Phillies, wherein Kyle Schwarber belted four home runs to lead Philadelphia to a 19-4 victory. Cox (68 pitches) and Suero (31 pitches) weren’t going to be available today anyhow after logging heavy workloads in yesterday’s game. (Suero also tossed 24 pitches Tuesday.)

Brebbia, 35, opened the 2025 season with the Tigers but struggled in 18 2/3 innings before being released. The veteran righty was tagged for 16 earned runs (7.71 ERA) on 22 hits and 11 walks with 20 strikeouts during his brief run with Detroit. He also plunked three batters and was charged with two wild pitches. Three of those 22 hits were home runs.

It’s a second straight disappointing year for the well-traveled reliever. Brebbia pitched pretty well for the first half of the 2024 season with the White Sox before melting down after the All-Star break and eventually being released. He went on to sign with Atlanta last year as well but finished out the ’24 season with an overall 5.86 ERA thanks to 18 runs in 18 1/3 second-half innings.

Though last year’s second half and the 2025 season haven’t been pretty, Brebbia had a nice track record up until that point. The right-hander was a generally reliable bullpen option with the Cardinals and Giants from 2017-23. He carried a career 3.53 ERA, 26% strikeout rate and 7% walk rate (336 2/3 innings) into last year’s All-Star break. Things have obviously gone south since that time, but it’s a solid track record on the whole. Brebbia has also been excellent with Atlanta’s Triple-A club this season, tossing 19 innings with a 1.89 earned run average, a 26.9% strikeout rate and a 3.8% walk rate.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/braves-select-john-brebbia-2.html
 
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