Overview
- The Braves designated veteran Carlos Carrasco for assignment Wednesday to open a 40-man spot and immediately selected right-hander James Karinchak from Triple-A Gwinnett.
- Right-hander Tyler Kinley was placed on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation, a move that directly triggered the bullpen roster changes.
- Pitching prospect JR Ritchie was recalled from Triple-A to provide additional relief depth after the Kinley IL placement.
- Karinchak returns to the majors for the first time since 2023 after a strong Triple-A stretch in 2026 that included a 2.45 ERA and a 38% strikeout rate, and he still has a minor-league option for roster flexibility.
- Carrasco has been repeatedly designated and re-signed by Atlanta as a movable '41st-man' depth piece, a pattern that helps the contending Braves protect short-term bullpen performance while preserving 40-man roster flexibility.