Braves Designate Carlos Carrasco For Assignment
The Braves announced Tuesday that veteran righty Carlos Carrasco has been designated for assignment. His spot on the roster goes to closer Raisel Iglesias, who has been reinstated from the 15-day injured list.
It’s the second time this season Atlanta has designated Carrasco for assignment. He seems quite amenable to being used as a de facto 41st man on the roster — being selected to the majors when an extra arm is needed, then riding the DFA carousel and re-signing a new minor league deal when he’s outrighted or released. He’s now been designated for assignment by the Braves three times dating back to last August. Each time he’s cleared waivers and re-signed. It’s the same gambit we saw with Atlanta and Jesse Chavez late in his career. Plenty of other clubs have done this with out-of-options pitchers in recent years as well (e.g. Mariners/Casey Lawrence, Yankees/Ryan Weber).
Carrasco has pitched in two games with the Braves this year. He’s logged 2 1/3 innings and held opponents scoreless on one hit and no walks with a pair of strikeouts. The former Cleveland ace has pitched well in Triple-A, too, tossing 21 innings (four starts) with a 1.71 earned run average.
At 39 years old, Carrasco is a good bet to again pass through waivers and return to Triple-A Gwinnett — whether by accepting an outright assignment or becoming a free agent and quickly re-signing, as he did after his most recent DFA in mid-April. Teams are typically very open and straightforward with veterans in this type of situation, so Carrasco is surely on board with the setup. It’s feasible that he’ll continue to pitch well enough that a team will eventually claim him off waivers, although in that scenario, he still makes out nicely, as he gets to stick in the big leagues and collect a major league paycheck even longer.
The Braves also noted that lefty Dylan Dodd is heading out on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett. Shortstop Ha-Seong Kim‘s rehab assignment has been moved from Double-A to Triple-A as well. Both are on the mend and should be activated before too much longer.
Braves Re-Sign Carlos Carrasco, Select Him To Active Roster
TODAY: The Braves announced that Carrasco has been selected to the 26-man roster, so Carrasco must have quickly re-signed a new minor league deal after his brief stint in free agency. Right-hander Anthony Molina was optioned to Triple-A in the corresponding 26-man roster move, and Atlanta will fit Carrasco into one of two open slots on their 40-man roster.
MAY 1: Carlos Carrasco elected free agency after clearing outright waivers, according to the MLB.com transaction log. The Braves designated him for assignment on Thursday when Dylan Lee returned from the paternity list.
There’s a decent chance this is a procedural move and Carrasco will re-sign with Atlanta on a new minor league contract. Initially acquired from the Yankees last July in a cash trade, Carrasco has subsequently signed a pair of minor league deals. He finished last year at Triple-A Gwinnett and quickly re-signed once the offseason began.
Carrasco pitched well in his first four turns through the Triple-A rotation this year. He owns a 1.71 ERA with a solid 20.7% strikeout percentage and tidy 6% walk rate over 21 innings. Carrasco tossed a perfect inning with a strikeout of CJ Abrams in his lone MLB appearance this season.
The 39-year-old righty doesn’t have huge stuff at this stage of his career. His fastball sits around 92 mph and he has leaned more heavily on his slider and changeup to fool Triple-A hitters. He owns a 6.33 ERA at the major league level since the start of 2023.
Braves Designate Carlos Carrasco For Assignment
The Braves designated right-hander Carlos Carrasco for assignment on Wednesday, per a club announcement. His spot on the roster will go to left-hander Dylan Lee, who has been reinstated from the paternity list.
Carrasco pitched one perfect inning for Atlanta and picked up a strikeout in that spotless frame. His call to the roster always seemed likely to be short term in nature. Carrasco signed a minor league deal with the Braves over the winter after pitching 13 2/3 innings for them down the stretch last year. The Braves designated Carrasco for assignment last August and quickly re-signed him to a minor league deal. He re-signed on another minor league pact over the winter, which seems to suggest he’s amenable to a Jesse Chavez-style arrangement in Atlanta, where Chavez was frequently brought to the majors, cut loose, and re-signed as minor league depth.
The 39-year-old Carrasco opened the 2026 season with four sharp starts in Triple-A Gwinnett. He’s tossed 21 innings for the Stripers and notched a sparkling 1.71 ERA with a 20.7% strikeout rate against a 5.7% walk rate. It’s at least feasible that another club in need of depth might place a speculative claim or talk to the Braves about a possible cash trade, but most veteran DFAs of this nature will see the player hit the open market one way or another. Given the recent history between Carrasco and Atlanta, there’s a decent chance he’s released or rejects an outright assignment and quickly re-signs a new minor league deal.
Carrasco has now pitched in parts of 17 major league seasons. He has more than 14 years of big league service and owns a lifetime 4.22 ERA with a 24% strikeout rate and 6.6% walk rate. If he ends up back in Gwinnett, he’ll probably stay stretched out in the rotation there and wait for another opportunity to bring a fresh arm to the big league bullpen or perhaps make a spot start or two in the rotation, as injuries necessitate.
Braves Select Carlos Carrasco, Place Dylan Dodd On Injured List
April 23: Atlanta formally announced the selection of both Carrasco and Ritchie. Fuentes was indeed optioned back to Gwinnett, and Dodd heads to the 15-day injured list. However, Dodd’s formal injury designation from the team was not an oblique strain, but rather “left thoracic spine inflammation.” The team’s initial announcement doesn’t provide a timetable for Dodd’s return, but manager Walt Weiss will probably provide more details in today’s pre-game media session.
April 22: The Braves are selecting veteran righty Carlos Carrasco onto the MLB roster, reports Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Left-hander Dylan Dodd will go on the 15-day injured list with an oblique strain. Carrasco will be available in long relief behind JR Ritchie, who is coming up to start tomorrow in his major league debut.
Atlanta already had two openings on the 40-man roster. They lost Osvaldo Bido on waivers to the White Sox over the weekend and designated Ian Hamilton for assignment this morning. Adding Ritchie and Carrasco will put their roster back at capacity.
The 39-year-old Carrasco will be in the big leagues for a 17th season. He made three starts for Atlanta last summer as part of a revolving door of depth arms while the rotation was decimated by injury. Carrasco allowed 15 runs across 13 2/3 innings and finished the season in Triple-A. The Braves brought him back on a new minor league deal at the beginning of the offseason.
Carrasco is out to a nice start with their top affiliate in Gwinnett. He carries a 1.71 earned run average through his first four appearances. Carrasco has fanned 21% of opposing hitters with a sub-6% walk rate. He’s only in the 90-91 mph range on his fastballs, leaning more heavily on his slider and changeup to compensate.
The arsenal hasn’t played at the MLB level for the past few seasons. Carrasco owns a 6.36 ERA between four teams since the start of the 2023 campaign. Atlanta needed a length option for a bullpen that has gotten a lot of work over the past couple days.
Their last two starters, Reynaldo López and Didier Fuentes, threw a combined four innings. While Ritchie is a very good prospect, he’s not a lock to work deep in the game in his first outing against a big league lineup. He’ll take on a Nationals team that has started the season hot offensively behind fantastic months from James Wood and CJ Abrams. Excluding the just optioned Fuentes, Ritchie and Carrasco have been Atlanta’s two best Triple-A starters.
Braves Re-Sign Carlos Carrasco, Darius Vines To Minors Contracts
The Braves have signed right-handers Carlos Carrasco and Darius Vines to new minor league deals, Baseball America’s Matt Eddy reports. Both players were eligible for minor league free agency and apparently elected for the open market, only to both head back to Atlanta’s organization.
After inking a minors deal with the Yankees last February, the righty earned a spot on the Opening Day roster due to some injuries on New York’s pitching staff, giving Carrasco a chance to bank a few starts. Unfortunately, he posted a 5.91 ERA over 32 innings in the pinstripes, and was designated for assignment and outrighted twice during the next four months.
Carrasco twice passed on free agency after those outrights, but found himself changing teams again when the Braves acquired the veteran in a cash trade prior to the deadline. The Braves were looking for all the pitching help they could find in the aftermath of a plague of injuries to their starting rotation, and Carrasco went onto post a 9.88 ERA over 13 2/3 innings in an Atlanta uniform. He was DFA’ed and outrighted again in August and this time did elect free agency, only to quickly re-sign again with the Braves.
A staple of Cleveland’s rotation for most of his 16-year MLB career, Carrasco now heads into his age-39 season as just a depth option. The right-hander has a 6.36 ERA and a 17.6% strikeout rate over 239 1/3 big league frames since the start of the 2023 season, with the highest homer rate (17.5%) of any pitcher in that timespan with at least 230 innings.
Vines has spent his entire pro career with the Braves since Atlanta made him a seventh-round draft pick in 2019. He posted a 5.82 ERA over 34 innings in the Show during the 2023-24 seasons, dimming his potential as a possible rotation candidate for the team going forward. Atlanta designated Vines for assignment and outrighted him off the 40-man roster in August 2024, and Vines then missed the entire 2025 season recovering from an undisclosed injury.
This new minors deal likely reflects the Braves’ confidence that Vines will be healthy in 2026, as he tries to get his career back on track heading into his age-28 season. There’s no risk for the team in bringing Vines back on a minors deal to see what he has to offer, and a relief role could be in his future if he can’t find any consistency as a starting pitcher.
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.
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.
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.
Braves Select Carlos Carrasco
The Braves announced this morning that they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Carlos Carrasco. The move comes just days after Carrasco was acquired from the Yankees. Additionally, recently-acquired Tyler Kinley has reported to the club and is now active. A corresponding roster move wasn’t necessary to accommodate Carrasco after Atlanta traded right-hander Rafael Montero to the Tigers last night.
Carrasco, a 16-year MLB veteran, was brought in to help the Braves’ beleaguered rotation. The 38-year-old was picking up Cy Young votes for Cleveland a decade ago, but now he’ll serve as a placeholder for a Braves club that has been decimated by injuries. Carrasco’s bat-missing days are gone, but he has gone seven innings in each of his last three starts for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
Carrasco joined the Yankees in a minor league deal in February, making the team’s Opening Day roster given injuries to Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil, and Clarke Schmidt. He made six starts and two relief appearances and was designated for assignment by the first week of May. The Yankees re-added him to the 40-man in June, but bumped him back off before he could make an appearance. Three days ago, Carrasco was flipped to the Braves for cash considerations.
Carrasco is set to start for the Braves tonight in Cincinnati, one of only three MLB games on the docket for trade deadline day. That Carrasco and other recent pickups Erick Fedde and Joey Wentz make up 60% of the Braves’ rotation speaks to the injuries the club has accumulated in a disastrous season. The Braves have a full rotation on the shelf: Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, Grant Holmes, Reynaldo Lopez, and AJ Smith-Shawver. Smith-Shawver is out for the season with Tommy John surgery, and it’s unclear what the team will get this year from the others.
Braves Acquire Carlos Carrasco
6:15pm: The Braves announced today that Carrasco was acquired for cash. Manager Brian Snitker said tonight that Carrasco will start for the team Thursday (link via The Athletic’s David O’Brien). Atlanta will need to open a 40-man spot to create space within the next few days — which should be easy with the looming deadline.
12:48pm: The Braves and Yankees have agreed to a trade that’ll send righty Carlos Carrasco to Atlanta in exchange for a player to be named later or cash, reports Jack Curry of the YES Network. The veteran Carrasco is not on the Yankees’ 40-man roster after being designated for assignment and accepting an outright to Triple-A earlier this season.
Carrasco, 38, started six games and made a pair of relief appearances for the Yankees after signing a minor league deal over the winter. That contract came with a $1.5MM base salary, which will carry over to the Braves. He’s made 10 starts and a relief appearance with New York’s top affiliate in Scranton, pitching to a 3.27 ERA overall. That includes a particularly strong run since mid-June, during which Carrasco has logged 44 innings with a 2.45 ERA — albeit with a middling 16.6% strikeout rate. He’s limited walks at a strong 5.7% clip in that span and has a ground-ball rate north of 51.6% in Triple-A this year.
This is the second deal for a previously DFA’ed starter that the injury-ravaged Atlanta front office has drummed up in the past 24 hours. The Braves also added Erick Fedde last night and plugged him directly onto the 40-man roster. In doing so, they also announced that righty Grant Holmes was headed to the 60-day injured list due to an elbow injury.
Holmes became the latest injury casualty in a snakebit Braves season. Atlanta currently has Holmes, Chris Sale (fractured ribs), Reynaldo Lopez (shoulder surgery), Spencer Schwellenbach (fractured elbow) and AJ Smith-Shawver (Tommy John surgery) all on the 60-day injured list.
Presumably, Carrasco will be added to Atlanta’s 40-man roster if not immediately then in the near future. The Braves need all the help they can get simply navigating the rest of the season. Spencer Strider is still healthy atop the rotation, but the depth chart after him includes Bryce Elder, the just-acquired Fedde and recent waiver claim Joey Wentz.
The Braves gave young right-hander Didier Fuentes a look earlier in the summer before turning to external acquisitions, but he was rocked in four starts — as one might expect for a 20-year-old who was fast-tracked to the majors for injury purposes. Former first-rounder Hurston Waldrep has pitched well over his past six Triple-A starts and could get a look in the final couple months, though he’s walked nearly 13% of his Triple-A opponents this season. Righties Davis Daniel and Nathan Wiles give Atlanta a pair of depth arms in their late 20s — and both are already on the 40-man roster.
Waldrep and prospects JR Ritchie and Blake Burkhalter could all be options at some point down the stretch. Ritchie, in particular, has posted big minor league numbers. At the same time, with the season spiraling out of hand and the team’s playoff hopes dashed, the Braves may not want to rush potential key pieces of the future to the majors before they’re ready.
In that sense, some veteran stopgaps like Fedde, Wentz and Carrasco are fairly logical, even if they’re unexciting. Neither Ritchie nor Burkhalter is on the 40-man roster yet, though the latter will need to be added between now and November if he’s to be protected from this year’s Rule 5 Draft, which could give the team some extra incentive to take a look over the final eight weeks of the season if he can replicate his strong Double-A numbers following a recent promotion to Triple-A.