Atlanta Braves Re-Acquire Pitcher For 5th Time In 10 Months After 4 DFAs

The Atlanta Braves and veteran right-handed pitcher Carlos Carrasco have continued the dance that they've been doing over the past year. Carrasco has signed a minor league contract with the Braves for the 5th time since last July.

Let's track this wild, rollercoaster journey that Carrasco, now 39, and the Braves have been on:

July 25, 2025: NY Yankees DFA Carrasco
July 28, 2025: Braves trade for Carrasco from Yankees for cash considerations
Aug. 14, 2025: Braves DFA Carrasco
Aug. 16, 2025: Carrasco elects free agency
Aug. 17, 2025: Braves re-sign Carrasco to minor league contract
Feb. 4, 2026: Braves re-sign Carrasco to minor league contract, with non-roster invite to spring training
March, 2026: Braves send Carrasco to Triple-A to start season on minor league contract
Apr. 23, 2026: Braves select contract of Carrasco from Triple-A
Apr. 29, 2026: Braves DFA Carrasco
Apr. 30, 2026: Carrasco elects free agency
May 1, 2026: Braves re-sign Carrasco to minor league contract
May 2, 2026: Braves select contract of Carrasco from Triple-A
May 5, 2026: Braves DFA Carrasco
May 6, 2026: Carrasco elects free agency
May 8, 2026: Braves re-sign Carrasco to minor league contract

Carlos Carrasco has had 4 DFAs and 4 minor league deals signed in past 10 months

That's one crazy ride. Four times DFA'd in the past year, and five times acquired by the Braves, four times being re-signed to a minor league deal. For now, he's been assigned to Triple-A Gwinnett. But we wouldn't be surprised to see the Braves call Carrasco up once again when needed, and then, most likely, be DFA'd once again if necessary.

Rinse & repeat. Such is the life of a 39-year-old pitcher who's just trying to hang on to a major league career.

And it's been a good one, too. Carrasco has spent 17 years in the big leagues with a 4.22 overall ERA. He led the majors in wins in 2017, going 18-6 with Cleveland. He finished 4th in Cy Young balloting that season.

He's had at least six seasons as an ace in a team's rotation. Most recently with the NY Mets in 2022, when he went 15-7 with a 3.97 ERA.

This season with the Braves, he's only gotten into 2.1 innings, but we expect there'd be more to come.