The Atlanta Braves utilized veteran reliever Carlos Carrasco in a series-opening loss to the Chicago White Sox, setting up an obvious move. Atlanta has made a habit of allowing Carrasco to pitch and predictably designating the pitcher for assignment the following day. The veteran will be passed through waivers, and the two sides will again agree to a deal that will almost guarantee that Carrasco will quickly be back on the MLB roster and be given a chance to be utilized as a long relief option.
For Carrasco, it speaks to where the veteran is at this stage of his career, just productive enough to be a viable option without enticing other teams to attempt to create a roster spot for an aging player. Atlanta is taking advantage of this andm in essence, utilizing Carrasco's lack of appeal to have a 41-man roster by consistently shuffling the final spot.
It is a solid plan that will hit a bit of a speed bump when the franchise has all of its pitchers healthy, with Tyler Kinley, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Hurston Waldrep currently shelved. Atlanta's ability to shuffle Carrasco on and off the roster so easily will unquestionably be challenged when this happens.
Braves Continue Endless Demotion Cycle with Veteran Carlos Carrasco
However, when the roster is back to its full ability, there is reason to wonder if Carrasco will be an option the Braves consider utilizing. Grant Holmes will likely be demoted to the bullpen, with Martin Perez remaining a possible demotion as well. Add in the return of Kinley, and the bullpen is incredibly deep with Raisel Iglesias, Robert Suarez, Dylan Lee, and Didier Fuentes setting the tone for the rest of the unit.
Having four such reliable options speaks to why the Braves have been so reliable in close games and why Carrasco continues to face consistent demotions. Still, it is fair to expect the veteran to quickly rejoin the roster and find his way back up the bullpen for at least one more stint in the 2026 season.
Carrasco has been surprisingly productive, offering 9.0 innings while only giving up three earned runs in these nine frames. It is a solid showing that should continue the veteran's tenure and provide Atlanta with the needed depth if another injury strikes. It will be interesting to watch how long the cycle continues and whether or not Atlanta's roster getting healthy breaks what has been a predictable series of demotions and returns.
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