The Braves announced this morning that they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Jesse Chavez from Triple-A Gwinnett. He’ll head to the big league roster in place of righty Nathan Wiles, who’s been optioned back to Triple-A after making his MLB debut last night. In order to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Chavez, Atlanta transferred infielder Nacho Alvarez Jr. to the 60-day injured list. Alvarez has been out all season due to a wrist injury.
The 41-year-old Chavez keeps finding his way back to the Braves. He’s pitched for Atlanta in each of the past five seasons despite signing contracts with the Angels, Cubs, Rangers and White Sox along the way. Most of those were minor league pacts — including his 2025 deal with Texas — and each time Chavez has opted out of a non-roster contract he’s wound up back with Atlanta.
It’s been a successful pairing. Chavez has a 2.56 ERA with the Braves dating back to 2021. He’s pitched in a variety of roles, ranging from long relief to opener to setup man. This is his second stint of the ’25 campaign with Atlanta. He was selected to the roster on March 31, designated for assignment after a two-inning appearance, and quickly re-signed a new minor league deal after electing free agency.
Chavez allowed one run on a pair of hits and a pair of walks in his lone Braves appearance of the season. He’s been outstanding in Gwinnett, firing 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball while setting down 12 of his 25 opponents on strikes (48%). He’s yet to issue a walk. It’s possible he’ll stick around a bit longer with the Braves in this latest stint, particularly given the struggles of veterans Enyel De Los Santos and Rafael Montero through the season’s first month. If the Braves do opt to shuffle him out for a fresh arm, he’d have to again be designated for assignment, at which point a similar process — clear waivers, elect free agency, re-sign — could play out again.
Alvarez, 22, made his big league debut last year but only got into eight games. He’s considered one of the organization’s better prospects after a strong three-year run in the minors that saw him produce a .284/.400/.396 batting line as he climbed the ladder toward MLB. Alvarez exited a game early in spring training after an awkward swing and opened the year on the 10-day IL due to wrist inflammation. The move to the 60-day does not reset his IL clock; he’ll need to be on the injured list for at least 60 days dating back to his original placement. He’ll be out until at least late May.
Here we go again
Number Six. I wonder what the record is for most times being called up/traded for/FA signing with one team is?
Didn’t the Braves trade for Kelly Johnson like 5 times or so?
Next up: Yankees sign Adam Ottavino.
I predict he pitches well and they trade him to the Angels.
He pitches horrible for them.
The Angels release him.
He resigns with the Braves and pitches well.
Deja vu all over again.
buster:…then the Braves will dfa him again, sign him to a minor league contract, bring him up for the ninth time, then dfa him the next day. Around and around it goes.
Braves should sign Adam Duvall again
Can Duvall pitch any better than what the bullpen has done now?
In other news Jesse Chavez has been DFAd by Braves.
They actually let him out of the nursing home.
Come on now, the circle continues!
I can hear The Circle of Life song and Rafiki holds up Jesse Chavez.
** Shocking **
When they drop him tomorrow or the next day is it a separate article, or do you just add to this one?
We have our developers working on a pair of new database tools:
A “Jesse Chavez/Braves” Tracker and a “Casey Lawrence/Mariners” Tracker.
(Obviously kidding, but maybe not a bad idea!)
Steve: Not a bad idea. I would pick Roansey Contreras for consideration.
Why do they even bother DFA’ing/assigning/etc when they know they’re gonna bring him back.
Because he’s old enough and of a modest enough career that he’s in the “just grateful to get to pitch in MLB again” camp and is happy to let them bounce him back and forth like he was a young player with options.
Because they can’t just option him to Triple-A. A DFA is the only way to remove him from the roster.
Could they option him if he consented?
Nope. Players only get three years of optional assignments. His were used up sometime in the George W Bush years I believe.
yeah and water’s wet.
Water is not wet. It’s a liquid that makes things it touches become wet.
ok well it’s definitely blue then, right?
It’s always level, although according to one of the great myths of our world it’s not.
I’ve never heard of this guy. Is he decent or just a rubber arm?
Old York: Since he’s always dfa before he pitches, we’ll never know.
Have you already the “Braves DFA Jesse Chavez” article that is going to be posted this weekend or are you going to wait until then. No need to wait until the last minute.
In other breaking news: Sun Rises Today
The Sun doesn’t rise. It is actually the Earth that is rotating, with the Sun remaining fixed.
Not really, but believe what you will.
I’m looking forward to the article tomorrow announcing that the Braves have DFA’d Bryce Elder
Dude.Dude.Dudes. Chavez is AI. Now to sign Rich Hill.
Honestly, this is really baffling. Blewett makes a spot start, while Griffin Channing starts for our arch rivals on the same night with a QS against the Phillies, should be a nice illustration of AA outplaying himself.
I always took you for an AA apologist, welcome to the dark side! lol…Made no sense to not keep Canning. We needed all the arms we could get in the off-season. Same exact thing with Marco Gonzales last year smh
Sure, I can see that…but this season there’s been a lot of headscratchers. Whatever the excuse (sitting FA out to reset the lux tax…or paying the $18M tax bill that no other MLB team needs to…or AA just outgaming himself), I’m really at a loss.
And this Kelenic experiment really is looking terrible.
Canning is making over 4 million dollars this year. Didn’t y’all see how tight the Braves spending was in the off-season? Just because Canning has had a decent April doesn’t mean much.
They’re desperate for spot starts anywhere during this season (a scene right out of ROOKIE OF THE YEAR, almost), and if they thought he would be making QS like this, they’d have paid that. Look at the reported offer they made to Hoffman that was nixed b/c of a physical. They paid Profar well. I don’t think both of those deals would have happened, but there was money to be spent…and for a franchise that lauds “can’t have too much pitching” — they aren’t practicing that, especially the known depth issue on the farm as the years of sanctions have finally come to the surface.
Guess who’s back?
Back again?
Jesse’s back, tell a friend
braveshomer: If they follow the Braves, they already know.
it’s the Eminem song Shadys Back reference fyi lol
Upcoming story by noon: Roansy Contreras DFAd.
Can he play 2nd base and hit? I bet he is a better hitter than Albies.
This season is a blessing in disguise. Once Albies and Acuna are gone, this team will turn around.
The rinse and repeat diatribe continues. Troll on.
You really don’t think the Braves will trade Acuna after his comments? It is inevitable at this point. The only trolling happening here you people like you refusing to admit Albies is horrific to watch.
The Braves aren’t going to trade Acuna while his value is down. Won’t happen. There’s a close to zero chance that they consider dealing him before his 2 club option years (@ $17M per year) expire after 28. I know you can’t get away from your demented hatred of Albies, but if he’s as awful as you rant about him being, what’s the point of dealing him? What would they get for him? Who would replace him? The Braves have ZERO mil middle infield depth. No one in the system has 1/10th his positional value. Pointless to deal him—especially since he’s only making $7M a year. Why don’t you remind everyone how truly clueless you are about options available to the Braves by claiming AGAIN that Nacho Alvarez should take over for Albies.
Is this like his 5th stint with the braves?
He’s so old that he is one of the only current active players to have played for Bobby cox
Freeman and Jason Heyward and Craig kimbrel are the only others that come to mind
In other related news, water is wet.
Actually, water is not wet. It’s a liquid that makes things it touches become wet.
We’re not having this conversation on a Jesse Chavez update lmao
No fire Snit and make Chavez the manager!
I agree to fire Snit. He’s an idiot!
He is the core of Braves problems.
They wouldn’t have this carousel
of pitchers if he knew how to handle
the bullpen. He leaves them in too long
and burns them out! After 2-3 walks
hit batters and wild pitches, he still
leaves them in to get clobbered! Stupid!
When the entire bullpen gives up “2-3 walks, hit batters, and wild pitches” what should he do? Other than Daysbel Hernandez, who in the pen can be counted on?
Chavez will end up spending the rest of his days either in the Braves dugout or the pen, just like Eddie Perez.
*Dumb *Foundit *Atlanta !
*Destined *For *Angels !
Is Jesse Chavez older than all the coaches in MLB?
Like the swallows of Capistrano…
🎶Reunited and it feels so good,
reunited and it’s understood…🎶
He is pitching well at 41 years of age, those minor league numbers he posted, only 6.1 IP, but he struck out 48% of hitters faced with no walks. That’s solid.
2 days later: Braves Designate Jesse Chavez for Assignment
2 days after that: Braves sign Jesse Chavez to Minor League Deal
Talk about a cat having nine lives.
They keep this man on speed dial
They will move on from nacho. He wasn’t ready last yr and is middle of road prospect.