The Braves re-signed veteran utilityman Charlie Culberson to a new minor league contract just days after he rejected an outright assignment in favor of free agency, per the team’s transaction log at MLB.com. Righty Seth Elledge, who also elected free agency following a recent DFA (by the Tigers), has also signed a minor league deal with Atlanta. It’s his second stint in the organization.
Culberson, 34, didn’t appear in a game with the Braves after being selected to the big league roster earlier this month. He’s spent the season in Triple-A Gwinnett, where he’s batted .204/.234/.255 in 107 plate appearances. A veteran who’s accrued more than seven years of MLB service over parts of ten big league seasons, Culberson also spent the 2018-20 seasons in Atlanta, hitting .265/.314/.454 in 473 plate appearances. Along the way, he endeared himself to the Atlanta faithful with a series of clutch hits, including multiple memorable walk-off home runs.
While Culberson hasn’t hit especially well this season, he’ll return to the Braves organization to remain on hand as a possible depth option and a mentor to up-and-coming infielders like Vaughn Grissom and Braden Shewmake. And, if the Braves feel they need some additional infield depth but don’t want to take either of those young players out of an everyday role to sit on the big league bench, Culberson could again be summoned for a short-term look at the MLB level. His versatility would make him a reasonable addition when rosters slightly expand in September, too.
Elledge, 27, was with the Braves in 2022 and opened the season in the organization this year. Atlanta designated him for assignment on April 8, and he’s since bounced to the Mets and Tigers on waivers before being designated in Detroit and electing free agency after clearing waivers.
In 23 1/3 career innings at the MLB level — all with the Cardinals — Elledge has a 4.63 ERA, 24% strikeout rate and 14.4% walk rate. In 2022, he posted a 3.88 ERA and gaudy 33.7% strikeout rate for the Braves’ Gwinnett affiliate, but he’s found rougher waters so far in 2023. Through 28 2/3 frames between the Triple-A affiliates of the Braves, Mets and Tigers, Elledge has been tagged for a 5.34 ERA. He’s had more success with the Braves’ Triple-A club than any other stop in his tour of the upper minors, so he’ll return to what’s seemingly a comfortable setting and look to build on that success with an eye toward a return to the big league roster.
Charlie must be really liked by the Braves. He is A Ham and Egger, but the Braves love him as one. He has played well with them. He is likely a future coach in their organization.
Excellent Bobby Heenan reference.
If only he called him a humanoid
Well, the Braves have to appease the hoi polloi.
I’m thinking this is the first and only mention of ‘hoi polloi’ on this site. Nice work!
One of my fave Three Stooges shorts.
He likes being able to live at home, even when in the minors. I’d bet the same, too.
They know him and know what he can give them. Plus he must be working well with the younger guys down there. With him in minors it gives us two guys we can bring up for back up infield too. Him and Luke of course Culberson will have to be added to the 40 man first but I think the Braves currently only have 39 on there.
It’s obvious they couldn’t live without each other. Good for them.
Braves’ fans obsession with Culberson (who isn’t very good) is borderline psychotic.
Memories of some of his clutch hits, linger in our minds. Hence the love, plus it’s a minor league deal, so no harm there as a depth move.
Well, considering he already received a $700K contract from ATL for 1-month of non-ML play before being DFA’d — another contract is just icing on the cake. His agent appreciates being paid per transaction.
He got a pro rated part of that deal still around $100k. But yeah he has had a few big hits and is a good person but man you would think they signed and or let go Chipper Jones in his prime or something. You do need good bench players, but without having to really PH anymore he is really not as valuable as he used to be. Below average defender so if something happened to Braves SS or 2B they would call up Grissom or Shemaker to start until the starter came back.
I dunno…I’m a Braves fan and I know he sucks.
I’m also a Braves fan and find it baffling. Then again I’ve always thought the majority of Braves fans were big time homers.
Charlie C’s best year outside of playing for the Rockies was in 2018. He helped that Braves team overachieve that year by overachieving himself. That 2018 year was the Braves first steps towards being WS contenders and was the reason why the Braves brought Snit back to manage. Then in 2019 he got hit in the face at the plate. He was and I’m sure is very well liked in the clubhouse. People can have sentimental feeling for a player and he doesn’t have to be a superstar to gain those feelings from the fan base.
Dodger fans will always remember his walk off home run on Vin Scully’s final broadcast.
Career -0.4 WAR over 7 seasons. Thats all you need to know.
Kyle Schwarber is a -0.7 war this year. .. At least Atlanta isn’t on the hook for $20m… $700k is a much better deal.
He still hasn’t picked up my Edible Arrangement to him for that no catch that led to a win last series. Whew! That hurt to watch.
Yeah say what you want, but Kyle Schwarber is fun. Try as you might to prove me wrong, but absolutely no one has ever said the same about Chuck Culberson.
and yet here you are sweating him more than the Braves fans lmao. We know what he is.. Apparently you’re just finding out or something. It’s a minor league deal
Yeah, I’m sweating the hell out of this situation. I want to wholeheartedly apologize for my behavior. You busted me. Please find it in your heart to throw some forgiveness my way. Please?
You should see some of the comments on the Braves’ facebook page. When they DFA’d him a few days ago people were acting like they DFA’d Acuna.
I’m flying solo, sitting in a pub in London amusing myself. I appreciate the back and forth.
As about as fun as watching Sunday softball beer league games. And the big galut trying to hit the ball 5 miles. Except the big galut makes that catch in left.
I can’t understand why Phillies hit him leadoff. As a Braves fan I love it give a guy who strikes out 36% of the time hitting 185 leadoff means not only will you get 4 to 5 outs out of lead off spot a game good chance most will be strike outs not advancing any runners. Sure he runs into a few but not enough. And they have Turner who is much better to be in that spot.
Turner is stealing money so far this year and Schwarber is -0.7 war… Pick your poison.
Would you rather have jock itch or hemorrhoids?
Jock itch. Oh sorry, was your question rhetorically in nature?
Having this strong of view about a possible 26th man who may play 1 game a month on this team–is ‘definitely’ borderline psychotic or just really silly.
Or just a competitive GM/FO doing their job to ensure as much depth as possible and leaving no stone unturned. We’re not even half-way through. A couple of AA’s transactions that wouldn’t make the back pages usually get front-page treatment towards October.
Why can’t we be a fan of a player who isn’t good at all?
Oh is that a strong a view? I don’t think you understand the meaning of that phrase. Also, see my above post about their facebook page.
He’s had some nice moments for the big club filling in for injured players, and the way he plays and carries himself, he’s easy to root for. If nobody gets hurt, he’ll never play a meaningful inning in Atlanta. If the Braves get to him on the MLB depth chart, we have bigger issues, but he can still provide value as an example to the kids coming up. I for one am glad to have a good guy back in the organization. Plus I’d rather watch Charlie get thrown out hustling to first base any day over Johan Camargo striking out with a runner in scoring position and loafing back to the dugout. We could always do worse.
@md. I am so glad the Braves moved on from Johan. Thank god they didn’t extend him.
indeed
I don’t understand the hate for Charlie Clutch. He’s only a bench player, he is replacement level and that’s it. We love him because he’s a good dude and has come through when needed. Plus he’s a Dansby look-alike.
I’m thinking ‘Chuck Clutch’ might be a better nom de guerre.
I don’t think it is hate for him as much as it is people not understanding the amount of love people are giving to a guy who is a career bench player. Maybe a great person and clubhouse guy. Not mad the Braves are keeping him around because he is a true bench player and can fill in for every infield position if someone goes down and then next day make a roster move to find a full time replacement.
Looks like the kid GM was napping again while another pitcher with big league experience was available.
So glad Charlie is back and Seth as well!
Charlie actually makes an excellent position-player pitching candidate.
Position: P-PPC
Next: scheduling Charlie to throw out tonight’s first pitch with dad (before he is DFA’d, again).
Seth Elledge will now officially become the next best reliever in baseball. Anything the Braves touch turns to gold. God bless them, I wish my team could do stuff like that.
Note to Braves fans:
Be sure to vote in the All-Star voting
mlb.com/all-star/ballot?affiliateId=asb-headline-m…
done with the all-star game myself… y’all enjoy it
Will do. I’ve voted for you under one of 11 email accounts.
If you start a sentence with and, it doesn’t need a comma after it. And the word too shouldn’t have a comma before it.