Braves Re-Sign Carlos Carrasco to Minor League Deal
The Atlanta Braves have brought back veteran right-hander Carlos Carrasco on a minor league contract, just a week after designating him for assignment. After clearing waivers and briefly testing free agency, Carrasco has opted to rejoin the Braves organization, and he’ll report to Triple-A Gwinnett. The move gives Atlanta a seasoned arm to bolster its depth amid a wave of injuries to its pitching staff.
Carrasco, 38, began the 2025 season with the New York Yankees, signing a minor league deal during the offseason. He earned a brief call-up to the big league roster, making eight appearances (six of them starts), but struggled to a 5.91 ERA before being designated for assignment. He remained at the Triple-A level before being dealt to Atlanta for cash considerations just before the trade deadline—a low-risk move aimed at shoring up a depleted rotation.
The veteran initially made a promising debut with the Braves, tossing a quality start against the Cincinnati Reds on deadline day. However, his next two outings saw a sharp decline in performance: he gave up six earned runs in 5 2/3 innings in his second start and then allowed another six runs in just two innings in his third. Over 13 2/3 total innings with Atlanta, Carrasco posted a 9.88 ERA—a disappointing figure that prompted the Braves to remove him from the roster.
When combining his stints with both the Yankees and Braves this season, Carrasco has logged 45 2/3 innings with a 7.09 ERA, a far cry from his earlier success. Most notably, he was a reliable starter for the New York Mets in 2022, when he threw 152 innings with a 3.97 ERA across 29 starts. However, since then, his performance has steadily declined. Between 2023 and 2025, he has compiled 239 1/3 major league innings with a concerning 6.36 ERA, while his velocity, strikeout rate, and command have all dipped. Home runs have also become a persistent issue.
Despite these struggles, Carrasco remains a potential short-term solution for a Braves club trying to stay afloat while managing significant rotation challenges. Atlanta’s current starting rotation consists of Spencer Strider, Erick Fedde, Bryce Elder, Hurston Waldrep, and Joey Wentz—a group that has performed admirably under pressure but lacks depth and consistency beyond the front-end arms.
There is a glimmer of hope for the Braves in the form of Chris Sale, who is working his way back from a ribcage injury that has sidelined him since mid-June. Sale completed a second Triple-A rehab start just recently, throwing four innings of one-run ball while building up to 56 pitches. If he can return to the rotation and remain healthy, it would offer a major boost to Atlanta’s postseason push.
For Carrasco, this minor league deal could represent one of the final chapters of a 15-year MLB career. While he’s no longer the mid-rotation fixture he once was in Cleveland or even the serviceable arm he was in New York, he brings veteran experience, leadership, and the ability to eat innings if needed. Whether or not he’ll return to the big league club this season remains to be seen, but for now, the Braves are keeping their options open as they navigate a fragile pitching landscape.
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