NORTH PORT, Fla. — Jesse Chavez has once again rejoined the Atlanta Braves, picking right back up as if he never left. The 41-year-old pitcher showcased his talents on Sunday against Baltimore, throwing two innings. During his appearance, Chavez allowed two runs, with only one being earned, and surrendered three hits.
Following the game, Chavez was reassigned to the minor league camp shortly after signing a minor league deal with the Braves on Saturday. This move came after his release by Texas on Friday. Meanwhile, the Braves made another significant move on Sunday, trading right-handed pitcher Ian Anderson to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for lefty José Suarez. The 27-year-old Suarez has compiled a career record of 20-29, complemented by a 5.47 ERA across 99 games, all with the Angels.
Chavez has built a steady rapport with the Braves, making appearances in regular-season games as far back as 2010 and securing contributing roles in the past four seasons. His journey through the league has included scenarios similar to this year’s, notably in 2024 when he was released by the White Sox during spring training, only to ink a minor league contract with Atlanta once more.
His initial stint with the Braves came from a December 2009 acquisition in a trade from the Tampa Bay Rays. Over the years, Chavez has signed multiple minor league contracts with Atlanta, notably in April 2021 and November 2022. He was also traded from the Chicago Cubs to the Braves in April 2022. In his extensive career with Atlanta, Chavez has a 12-9 record accompanied by a 3.09 ERA across 186 games. His overall MLB stats include a 51-65 record and a 4.24 ERA in 653 games playing for other teams including the Oakland Athletics, Texas Rangers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Angels, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Royals, and Los Angeles Dodgers.
As the Braves prepare for the season opener in San Diego on Thursday, they’ve been quite active. They secured outfielder Alex Verdugo with a $1.5 million one-year contract last Thursday. Additionally, former Braves closer Craig Kimbrel and catcher James McCann agreed to minor league contracts with the team last week. Veteran reliever Héctor Neris also made the plunge by signing a minor league deal on March 3, eventually making it to the roster for opening day.
Kimbrel and McCann have now moved to the minor league camp following Sunday’s activities, and right-hander Bryce Elder was sent down to Triple-A Gwinnett.