The Atlanta Braves aren’t wasting any time retooling their bullpen as the postseason push intensifies — and Friday brought yet another move.
Left-hander Austin Cox was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett, while right-hander Dane Dunning was optioned back down, the club announced Friday morning. The move comes less than 12 hours after Atlanta’s wild 12-11 slugfest win over the Reds, a game that required five relievers despite a quality six-inning outing from starter Carlos Carrasco.
Dunning’s Atlanta stint has been a roller coaster. In four appearances, he owns a sky-high 14.29 ERA. While he’s shown flashes, allowing just one run in five total innings across two longer relief outings, the blow-ups have been brutal.
In two disastrous outings, Dunning surrendered eight earned runs in just two-thirds of an inning combined. Acquired from the Rangers in mid-July, Dunning has options left, and the Braves are putting them to use.
Don’t rule out a return; he’s a serviceable arm who could eat innings later this month when fresh bodies are needed.
Braves Bring Austin Cox Back Up
For now, it’s Austin Cox’s turn to steady the ship. The 27-year-old southpaw has bounced between Gwinnett and Atlanta all season, and in his six big league appearances, he’s posted a strong 2.25 ERA and 1.00 WHIP over eight innings. He’s pitched two innings in relief twice and fits the long-relief mold that Atlanta may lean on again in this high-scoring series.
The bullpen Cox returns to looks significantly different from what it did just two weeks ago. Tyler Kinley, acquired from the Rockies before the trade deadline, is now in the mix. Meanwhile, Rafael Montero was sent to the Tigers, and Enyel De Los Santos was designated for assignment.
With a critical stretch of games and the playoff race tightening, expect more of these micro-adjustments as the Braves keep searching for stability, reliability, and fresh arms in the late innings. Cox may not be the long-term solution. But for now, he’s the next man up.
