The Atlanta Braves taking a chance on yet another failing reliever isn't exactly going to come as a shock to a numb fan base. Dating back to before the All-Star break, the season has been defined by Atlanta attempting to find surprise value in pieces other franchises are all too ready to give up on. That's what happens when a season is this lost.
The latest example of this is former Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Joel Payamps, who the Braves claimed off waivers on Monday. The Athletic's David O'Brien reported the move with Connor Seabold being designated for assignment to make room for the reliever.
For once, the Braves have added a failing piece that does have true potential.
Braves Hope to Find Surprise Bullpen Depth Claiming Former Brewer Joel Payamps
To understand why Payamps hit waivers, his 7.23 ERA in 28 relief appearances with the Brewers is the main reason. Having said that, this would be far from the first time the Braves have fixed a struggling pitcher, even if their 2025 track record isn't horribly inspiring.
Everything about this year of failure has been an outlier for Payamps, which was previously one of Milwaukee's most trusted options.
Payamps was solid in 2024, picking up six saves and a 3.05 ERA while tallying 59 strikeouts in as many innings.. It was reliable enough production for the Brewers to call his number 68 times throughout the season. His performance has fallen off a cliff since then, but clearly, the Braves don't think he's a lost cause just yet.
While his best moments came with the Brewers, Payamps has an accomplished resume of impacting winning. He owns a 3.40 ERA and 4.1 WAR across his seven-year career, and he already made a positive impact by pitching a scoreless inning in Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Washington Nationals.
Payamps reliever struck out two and appeared to be a completely different version of himself than the Brewers have seen throughout the season. If this continues throughout the season's final week, the Braves will have an interesting decision to make.
Atlanta is desperate to find anything close to capable bullpen production and will be tasked with completely rebuilding the bullpen in the 2026 offseason. That sets up a very real possibility that Payamps is playing for more than just the season's final meaningless games, but perhaps a fresh start with a roster that is motivated to put together a contending group after a year of frustration.
Needless to say, Braves fans will be watching closely to see if Payamps can continue to prove himself.