The early-season chaos keeps rolling, and this time, the bullpen carousel is spinning again. In their latest roster shuffle, the Atlanta Braves have selected right-hander Zach Thompson to the major league roster.
To make room, the club has designated Jesse Chavez for assignment — yes, just one day after he pitched and just one day after being called up himself.
A Bullpen Under Fire
Let’s call it like it is: the Braves are running on fumes. Five straight losses to open the season, seven games in seven days to start the year, and a starting rotation that hasn’t exactly been going deep into games — it’s created a perfect storm for bullpen overuse.
On Sunday, AJ Smith-Shawver gave them just four innings, and swingman José Suarez had to step in for three more. Héctor Neris tossed the eighth inning and was DFA’d shortly afterward.
Monday came and Grant Holmes only lasted four innings. Enter Chavez, who gave the Braves two innings and 41 pitches on short notice. He’s back in DFA limbo just 24 hours after being called up.
Braves Bring in Zach Thompson
In steps Zach Thompson, a 31-year-old right-hander with some major league mileage and a fresh arm. Thompson last pitched in the bigs in 2022 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, where his ERA ballooned to 5.18 after a promising rookie stint with the Marlins in 2021 (3.24 ERA).
After bouncing from Pittsburgh to Toronto and then missing all of 2024 following flexor tendon surgery, Thompson signed a minor league deal with Atlanta this offseason. He tossed nine innings over two appearances in the spring and allowed just one earned run.
The Braves are looking for multi-inning relief help, and Thompson fits the bill. With Spencer Strider still ramping up and Reynaldo López now sidelined with shoulder inflammation, Thompson might not just be a warm body — he might be needed.
Chavez DFA’d Again
As for Jesse Chavez, this is familiar territory. He’s been DFA’d, re-signed, and re-added to the Braves’ roster more times than we can count.
And even at 41 years old, the numbers say he’s still got it — a 2.93 ERA over 203 innings since 2021, with a solid strikeout rate (24.3%) and reliable ground ball numbers.
But after tossing 41 pitches in relief Monday night, he was likely unavailable for the next couple of days. With Atlanta’s bullpen already stressed, the Braves couldn’t afford a roster spot on a short-term inactive arm. Not even one as dependable as Chavez.
More Moves Likely Coming For the Braves
The Braves are holding onto short-term patchwork until reinforcements arrive. Thursday’s off-day will provide some breathing room; another on Monday could allow the club to briefly reset the rotation. If Strider returns soon and López’s inflammation proves minor, the bullpen can stop being on emergency alert.
But for now, the Braves are hoping Chris Sale can go deep tonight against the Dodgers, followed by a stabilizing effort from Bryce Elder tomorrow. If either start goes sideways, Thompson could be pressed into action quickly.
