The Braves are going to select right-hander Carlos Carrasco and catcher Jair Camargo to the roster between games of their semi-double-header today. One of them will be the “27th man” for the contest. Righty Anthony Molina will be optioned to make room for the other. Neither Carrasco nor Camargo are on the 40-man roster, so a couple of corresponding moves will be required. Chad Bishop of the Atlanta Journal Constitution was among those to relay the news.
The 39-year-old Carrasco has been on and off the roster all year long. He and the club clearly have an understanding about a relationship they are both comfortable with. As a veteran with years and years of service time, he can’t be optioned to the minors. Instead, he has been repeatedly added to the roster to give the club a fresh arm. After a short period of time, he is designated for assignment, clears waivers, elects free agency and then signs a new minor league deal.
For the club, the benefit is obvious, as they effectively get a 41st man on their 40-man roster. Carrasco’s occasional appearances allow them to rest their other arms and reduce wear and tear over a long season. For Carrasco, he would probably prefer a steadier job but that’s hard to find, with his age and effectiveness. He posted a 6.36 earned run average from 2023 to 2025. He has a much better ERA of 3.00 this year, though in a small sample of nine innings over five appearances. With this gig, at least he gets sporadic hits of big league pay.
Last night’s game was suspended due to rain in the second inning. It was continued today with the Giants eventually winning 7-2. Grant Holmes had started last night but was replaced when the game continued today, with Atlanta using four pitchers to get through the remainder. As they go into the nightcap, Carrasco could be called upon to cover multiple innings, if needed.
Camargo, 26, signed a minor league deal with Atlanta last year. He has a very small amount of big league experience, having played five games with the Twins in 2024. He went hitless in seven plate appearances but did draw a walk. He hasn’t hit much in the minors either but has generally received favorable reviews for his glovework on the farm.
Drake Baldwin was behind the plate for the first game. Teams usually don’t ask a catcher to squat for both ends of a doubleheader, so Sandy León or Camargo could catch the second game. That could perhaps allow Baldwin’s bat to stay in the lineup as the designated hitter while the club still has a catcher on the bench. Camargo has an option and could be easily sent back to the minors after the game.
Photo courtesy of Aaron Doster, Imagn Images
