Oh man, just when it looked like Zach Thompson might have been carving out a quiet little comeback story, the Atlanta Braves have closed the book — at least for now.
A Brief but Bright Glimpse With the Braves
Zach Thompson’s time in a Braves uniform was short but not without promise. The right-hander made two relief appearances in early April. One was against the Tampa Bay Rays on the 11th and the other against the Toronto Blue Jays on the 15th.
Across those outings, he logged 3.2 scoreless innings, didn’t give up a single hit, walked just one, and struck out three. That’s a stat line most relievers would take in a heartbeat.
Yet both of those appearances came in losing efforts, with the Braves already trailing in each game. So, despite doing everything asked of him, the timing of his outings didn’t allow for much impact — or perhaps enough notice. Still, his performance was clean, efficient, and worth a second look.
The Triple-A Setback
But just one day after his second appearance, Thompson was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett. There, things didn’t go nearly as smoothly. He allowed six runs in two appearances — though only three were earned — over 4.1 innings.
That came with a bloated 6.23 ERA and a 2.308 WHIP, thanks in part to three walks. Sure, it’s a small sample size, but at this level, every outing matters. This is especially true for pitchers fighting to stay relevant in a deep bullpen mix.
Those shaky Triple-A outings likely played a part in the Braves’ decision on Monday to designate Thompson for assignment. They needed to make room on the 40-man roster after claiming Ian Anderson off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels, and Thompson became the odd man out.
Betting on Himself in Free Agency
Rather than accept an outright assignment back to Gwinnett, Thompson chose to enter free agency — a bold but understandable decision. With several years of experience and a few flashes of promise, he may believe another organization will give him a fresh opportunity.
After all, his 2021 numbers with Miami (3.24 ERA over 75 innings) showed he could hold his own at the big-league level, particularly in a swingman role.
Still, it’s been a winding road since. A rough 2022 with the Pirates, 2023 spent in the Blue Jays minor league system, and an entire 2024 so far spent recovering from flexor surgery. That’s a lot to overcome.
Now, Thompson hits the open market with a résumé that’s equal parts potential and question marks. He might be worth a look for a pitching-needy team willing to gamble. But one thing’s for sure: his path back to the majors just got a little steeper.
