The Braves have selected the contract of left-hander Chris Rusin, as per the team’s official Twitter account. To create space on both the 30-man active roster and the 40-man roster, Atlanta designated right-hander Jhoulys Chacin for assignment.
Atlanta signed Chacin to a one-year, Major League contract back on July 21, as the club was looking to add some additional rotation depth due to Cole Hamels’ injured-list stint and Felix Hernandez’s opt-out. Chacin ended up making two relief appearances for the Braves, both against the Mets — the first was an impressive performance of 3 2/3 scoreless innings on July 26, and the other took place just last night, with Chacin surrendering four earned runs over 1 1/3 innings of work.
The Braves had clearly seen enough following yesterday’s outing, and Chacin now finds himself potentially back on the free agent market in short order. Given that teams are always in need of pitching depth, it’s possible Chacin could find another deal elsewhere, which could mean he’d be joining his fifth different organization in less than a year’s time.
Chacin has already appeared for seven different teams over his 12 MLB seasons, and also been part of the Indians and Twins organizations without ever suiting up for them in a big league game. Minnesota was Chacin’s most recent stop before signing on with the Braves, as the Twins inked Chacin to a minor league deal over the offseason but released him less than a week before their July 24th opener.
It wasn’t long ago that Chacin was a solid and durable rotation member, as he posted a 3.69 ERA while averaging 186 innings for the Padres and Brewers over the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Things turned badly for Chacin in 2019, however, as a big spike in his home run rate (an unsightly 2.2 HR/9) resulted in a 6.01 ERA over 103 1/3 frames for Milwaukee and Boston.
Rusin is also looking for a rebound, as his strong 2017 season as a member of the Rockies bullpen was followed up by a rough 2018 (6.09 ERA in 54 2/3 innings) and then a 2019 that saw him appear in only two MLB games, thanks to both back problems and a demotion to the minors. Upon becoming a free agent after the season, Rusin signed with the Braves on a minor league deal, so his arrival on the active roster will ensure some form of (prorated) guaranteed salary.
The 33-year-old offers the Braves some versatility, as Rusin has worked as a swingman in the past, though he will more likely be used in a long relief capacity. Rusin joins Grant Dayton, A.J. Minter, and Tyler Matzek as left-handed options out of the Atlanta pen.
Phew, here I thought the Braves will replace Newcomb with him.
Put Newcomb in the bullpen.
Enough is enough!
I mean, honestly… Newcomb just might be our 3rd best starting pitcher. Yes he’s better in the bullpen, but we can start Soroka and Fried every other game.
He probably is their third best but that just goes to show how weak their rotation is and the mistake they made in not fixing the biggest problem on the team.
They did try, but Felix opting out and Hamels arm not being attached to his arm isn’t entirely the Braves fault. Regardless, rotation is pretty weak rn, but this is still a good team.
I didn’t love the Hamels signing, but I’d argue what they did made sense. You don’t commit major money and years to a rotation when your entire rebuild was based on accumulating young pitching. There’s a point where you have to give these young arms a chance to get their footing, even if it’s likely more will fail than will succeed.
The only way it made sense to spend on pitching was if they felt they could land Gerritt Cole- and they just don’t wade into those waters, financially. Signing a guy such as Bumgarner would’ve just been an albatross.
Felix wasn’t exactly the strongest attempt on building the rotation up. We clearly came into the season with no real #5 in mind and were hoping Wright, Felix, or whoever would take the wheel. But the problem was that we didn’t have enough depth with an aging Hamels and a Folty who has always been a wild card. And let’s be honest… we simply have 2 super young pitchers as our 1 and 2… I know we have a lot of trust in them, but they are still young and could have regressed a little this year. It just feels like every year, our Mgmt picks one spot on the team to basically abandon or do the min and hope for the best. Last year, it was bullpen… this year, it’s the starting rotation
Touki is the 3rd best pitcher.
Chacin is doing really well though
I was hoping we would see Tucker Davidson
Me too he deserves a shot
Have that gained an addt year for him yet?
Yes
Chacin is a veteran and pitched awful last night. Gotta hold him to the same standard they held Folty to. We are just lucky our offense was able to come back and win that game!!
Looks like the Brewers made the right call on Chaxin.
Stomp!
Can anyone explain to me why Patrick Weigel is apparently not being considered for a call up? Dude was 6-1 with a 2.98 ERA at Gwinnett last year, His minor league stats are routinely impressive, and his injury woes are behind him.
Touki is getting the Faulty and Newcomb treatment – keep putting them out even though they are terrible.
He also had over a 10% walk rate last year. He should at least appear in the bullpen at some point this year. I assume the Braves just aren’t seeing the control they would like out of him right now.
I don’t understand Weigel not being given a chance, either. It’s not as if he’s 22, and you could look and say maybe they don’t want to chance rushing him to the Show.
His triple A numbers are mainly long relief or piggy back starts he hasn’t started much since Tommy John and he was limited on inning last year I’m guessing they will slowly ramp him up in alt camp
It’s the right call to cut him. He looked brutal. He’s too fat and not throwing the same as he was a couple years ago. His game is location and he’s not even doing that
Last night was truly ugly but it did enable an epic Braves comeback
Agreed, but seeing Newcomb falter was worth it to diminish the ounce of Mets hope they had in their desperate search for someone, anyone, to gain late-game outs.
“All we have to do is wait it out to get to their ‘pen.”
Good thing the Braves have so much pitching depth to keep dropping all these guys
They might as well try Anderson, Wright, Davidson, Touki and see if any are ready then try and make a deal? Newcomb can’t get anybody out the second time through the order!
Agreed. With this wiffleball ticky-tacky season, you might as well throw everything you’ve got against the wall and see what sticks. It ain’t real anyway
It is real, you wouldn’t be watching if it wasn’t.
Soroka and Fried, then get ready to bleed…
This is why the Braves don’t win it all, they sign Bandaids for the rotation and forced to call up decent pitchers from the minors who get rocked in the show.
Just like the Vikings, always a couple moves away from being dominant but settle for division championships instead. Just callin like I’ve seen it for 25-30 years, always be in their corner though!
I’m on the Ian Anderson train full out now. Let him, tucker Davidson, and Wright all duke it out. I still have a lot of hope for Wilson also. Let’s go!! Stop the maddest!
I’m with you on Anderson!!
Bring Jethro Tull up now, baby!!
I hear that he can wield that flute with surgical precision. That’s obviously what we need right now