The Braves have declined their $8MM club option on infielder David Fletcher, per Mark Bowman of MLB.com. The team also announced today that they have outrighted LHP Austin Cox, RHP Joel Payamps, catcher Chuckie Robinson, and outfielder Carlos Rodríguez to Triple-A Gwinnett.
Fletcher, 31, was acquired from the Angels in December 2023 alongside catcher Max Stassi in exchange for minor-league first baseman Evan White and reliever Tyler Thomas. That was a financially-motivated move. Fletcher and the Angels had signed an ill-fated extension in 2021. White had also signed an extension that didn’t pan out, with the Mariners, though that deal was flipped to Atlanta. The Fletcher/Stassi/White/Thomas swap allowed the Angels to clear up some short-term cash while Atlanta saved money in the long run. Atlanta passed Fletcher through waivers shortly after acquiring him. He was selected back to the roster in 2024 but outrighted again shortly thereafter.
Broadly speaking, Fletcher has been a poor hitter but a good defender. He has a career .276/.323/.358 batting line, which translates to an 86 wRC+. He was more passable from 2018 to 2020 but his bat has tailed off in recent seasons. Atlanta presumably never viewed him as much more than an emergency depth option. His connection to an illegal gambling ring presumably didn’t improve his status in any way. Naturally, the club has gone with the $1.5MM buyout instead of the $8MM option.
The other moves clear out some roster space ahead of upcoming offseason business. Payamps is the most experienced of the four names here. Atlanta claimed him off waivers late in the season. Payamps didn’t have a good season in the majors, posting a 6.84 earned run average. He was eligible for arbitration, with MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projecting him for a $3.4MM salary. Atlanta didn’t want to pay that. Since Payamps cleared waivers, it appears no other club wanted to pay it either. He has at least three years of service time and therefore has the right to elect free agency.
As a free agent, he should garner interest from clubs looking for a bounceback. Over the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Payamps logged 129 2/3 innings in the big leagues with a 2.78 ERA, 26.1% strikeout rate and 6.7% walk rate. His major league results backed up in 2025 but he still showed some potential in the minors. His 4.73 ERA in 26 2/3 Triple-A innings wasn’t impressive but his 27.3% strikeout rate and 5.5% walk rate were in line with his peak.
Cox, 29 in March, has thrown 57 big league innings between Kansas City and Atlanta. In that time, he has a 6.16 ERA, 21.9% strikeout rate, 9.6% walk rate and 40.2% ground ball rate. He doesn’t have three years of service time or a previous career outright but should qualify for seven-year minor league free agency.
Robinson, 31 in December, is a longtime depth catcher. Atlanta claimed him off waivers late in the year while Sean Murphy was on the injured list. His defense is well regarded but he has a .131/.169/.192 batting line in his big league career. He has been outrighted previously in his career and therefore has the right to elect free agency.
Rodríguez, 25 in December, was signed by the Brewers a year ago. He had no major league experience but was coming off a good season in the Brewers’ system. He couldn’t keep it going in 2025, as he hit just .247/.317/.323 in Triple-A for a 76 wRC+. He doesn’t have three years of service or a previous career outright but should qualify for minor-league free agency.,
Photo courtesy of Dale Zanine, Imagn Images
The declination of Fletcher’s option was a sure bet.
I used to be his biggest fan… but not anymore
Fletcher was really good for a few years with the angels. I guess he pitches now also, throwing the nuckle ball. He wasn’t the same after he signed an extension. Sometimes you loose your hunger. Fletcher could play anywhere, and he could make contact. Oh well, I haven’t earned 8 million, at least not in this lifetime. Hire fletcher to be your season long opener.
Cheers to Fletcher still clocking MLB checks. Sometimes you know what you are, and you take the early bag. We all got jokes, but he should be pretty well set up financially, despite the 115 big league ABs the last 2 years.
He should be pretty well set up financially, if he hasn’t gambled it all away.
Worls series winner Chuckie Robinson
David Fletcher is under investigation by Major League Baseball for alleged gambling with an illegal bookmaker. Same one Ohtani’s interperter was using.
To be fair, that investigation started in May of 2024. Doesn’t seem like there is much to it.
Well he was not a necessarily a “very tough out” but a very tough strikeout. The conflating of the two points to an underlying problem in the way we think about the pitching and how one goes about getting an out (which there are obviously many ways).
I know the Braves had used Fletcher some in the minors as a pitcher. He apparently has a knuckleball. I also remember reading reports that he was a jerk in AAA.
Still one of the most mind boggling moves AA did with the whole Fletcher/Kelenic salary dump trades….now dropping Kinley and Johnson when we’re not supposed to be cash strapped and we still need relievers? Not a good sign for the off-season