Jesse Chavez is headed back to the Braves. Again. Atlanta announced this morning that the veteran right-hander has been signed to a minor league contract. He’ll head to big league camp for the final few days of spring training. Chavez spent the majority of spring training with the White Sox but was cut loose over the weekend. The Apex Baseball client will now head back to the Braves organization for what’ll be a fourth straight season (and a fifth overall).
Chavez, 40, has been excellent with the Braves in each of the past three seasons but struggled through shorter stints with the Angels and Cubs. Even accounting for rough showings in Anaheim and Chicago, however, he’s notched a tidy 2.81 earned run average in 137 2/3 innings over the past three seasons. Along the way, he’s fanned 26.2% of his opponents, issued walks at a strong 7.6% clip and kept the ball on the ground at a roughly average 42.3% clip (including a 51.7% mark last year). Metrics like FIP (2.97) and SIERA (3.33) generally agree that Chavez has been a highly effective reliever — one who’s often worked in multi-inning roles.
It was a rough spring for Chavez with the ChiSox. He tossed seven official innings and was tagged for ten runs (nine earned) on a dozen hits and two walks with eight strikeouts. That comes out to an 11.57 ERA, albeit in a tiny sample of work. Chavez also posted quality strikeout, walk and ground-ball rates (22.2%, 5.6%, 56%, respectively) and only allowed one homer while serving up a .458 BABIP, so take the spring ERA — as always — with a grain of salt.
The Atlanta bullpen is quite full at the moment, with only one reliever — left-hander Dylan Lee — who can even be optioned to Triple-A. The Braves are set to roll out a heavily veteran ’pen including Raisel Iglesias, A.J. Minter, Joe Jimenez, Pierce Johnson, Tyler Matzek and Aaron Bummer. Right-hander Jackson Stephens is out of minor league options and thus stands as a favorite to win the final bullpen spot.
That could ticket Chavez for early-season work in Triple-A Gwinnett, where he’d presumably be one of the first men up in the event of an injury. It’s at least possible he’ll overtake Stephens for that final bullpen spot, as Stephens has a limited big league track record and has walked seven hitters in 7 1/3 frames this spring.
Holy crap I’m shocked lol, Braves bullpen is ELITE now
The pupil is now the master
When I left you, I was but the learner. Now I am the master.
White Sox cut him, but the Braves pick him up. I guess that helps explain the W Sox situation.
I called it !!!! Thank you Magic 8 Ball.
I’m sure he’ll traded at the deadline with a 3 ERA too lol
No hell get traded tank for the new team then get reclaimed by the braves in kate July and have a sub 2 era after that
This
“Again.” Thank you Steve for the Monday morning laugh
The Braves off-season grade just went up a letter.
Best off-season move of the year…I don’t care what anyone’s says lol
Maybe a couple
Death, Taxes, and Jesse Chavez finding his way onto the Braves
Today, Jesse Chavez considers himself the luckiest man in the world to be away from the White Sox.
He’s getting ready to pass that mantle to Adam Duvall.
Just imagine the positive influence and professionalism he’ll bring to his new teammates, not to mention the free meals he’ll supply! Another great organizational decision, money well spent, imo.
He a good cook?
If he goes to Gwinnett for a bit, he’s probably on the hook to spring for a team meal.
Uncle Jesse back in the A. You love to see it.
Hey, Jesse!
N-N-Now Jerome! Yes!
(Oh-we-oh-we-oh) Check it out!
Bravesback Mountain. I can’t quit you.
They did the thing!
Like a swallow returns to Capistrano…
Jesse’s in his Kelly Johnson era.
I’m still taking Philly with Alvarado, Hoffman, Domínguez, Soto and Strahm.
LET HIM GO! CUT THE CORD! GET HIM A ROCKING CHAIR! STUPID ASS MOVE! MORE OF A CHARITY MOVE I GUESS LIKE THEY DID WITH CULBERSON SO HE WOULD BE 10 YEARS VESTED! CHAVEZ IS NOT AN EFFECTIVE PITCHER IN TODAY’S GAME! NO VELOCITY! VERY LITTLE MOVEMENT, TOO PREDICTABLE! HE DOESN’T NEED A CONTRACT, HE NEEDS WALKING PAPERS AND A ROCKING CHAIR! I’M SORRY, BUT GET REAL! ARE THEY JUST WANTING HIM TO BREAK THE RECORD FOR BEING ON THE MOST TEAMS IN HISTORY?? ROCKING CHAIR, OR BOOTH, NOT ON THE FIELD…AS A PLAYER..MAYBE BULLPEN COACH…..HE CAN’T PITCH!!. I HATE IT MORE FOR THE PLAYER THAT GETS BUMPED FOR CHAVEZ TO GET THE ROSTER SPOT! STUPID!!
2023: 1.56 ERA in 34.2 IP
2022: 2.72 ERA with ATL in 53 IP
Seems worth a minor league contract. It doesn’t seem worth an ALL CAPS rant.
Al’s post was definitely a rant, but we’ve had posters before who used all caps and exclamation points because they were sight impaired. I’m giving Al the benefit of the doubt on that. Or maybe it was just too much caffeine.
Sure, but this ain’t it with the amount of exclamation points and name-calling. Guy almost fell off his soap box. $5 this is Jackson Stephens.
Unless I am confusing him with another, I think he said in another post that he has a basic phone was the reason for his capital letters. If so, that justifies that all caps but not the content.
@RunDMC
I appreciate all caps rants. My eyes are hard of hearing :o)
Do you always like your own posts?
Must be a turnip eater. Welcome back Jesse, Go Braves !
WHAT? I CAN’T HEAR YOU!!!
You okay there bud? Did your wife have an affair with Jesse?
All caps… earns you a mute.
In other news… water is wet
I fr came to make that exact comment. Great minds.
You guys must be itching to trot out the “rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic” in the next article.
Only thing more sure is Drew Pomerantz being hurt.
Couldn’t see this coming, could we now? One mo’ time, Jesse!
YES, I’M VISUALLY IMPAIRED..SAD THAT SOMEOBE WILL LOSE THEIR ROSTER SPOT EVENTUALLY!! AND OF COURSE IT IS A RANT!! YOU CAN SEE ME 4/21/24 AT THE BUCKHEAD THEATER 7PN! L B DAMNED.!
He obviously wants to win but I wonder if oakland considered signing him, opportunity would’ve been there. He played for them previously and he’d be closer to his southern California hometown. Would take chavez over Austin Adams
Of course, for whatever reason the last few years he’s been good with the braves but bad with everyone else lol.
With his numbers for the Braves I’d take him over half the bullpen arms in the league regardless of his age.
Somebody in Sundays chat predicted this LOL…..
And just like that good move braves same to you Jesse Chavez.
Because Alex delayed the inevitable and kept Braves fans waiting until today for the most important transaction of all, he must now sign Jesse to a ten year extension complete with Jesse’s own rocking chair, from which he can dispense wisdom and sign autographs until he reaches EARLY retirement at 50.
AMEN!
Something about Jesse Chavez back with the Braves just feels right
If they wanted him and, from the sound of it, he is thrilled to be there, why not just sign him before White Sox? It was only a minors deal after all. It always seems like they like him but only get him when he falls into their lap by default. Stephens will be DFAd in next few weeks. His only value was he could be stashed in AAA.
Bummer. I was hoping that my pitiful A’s would get him
Bummer? You can have him. Aaron Bummer, I mean.
He’s only good for the Braves anymore.