The 2025 MLB All-Star festivities are almost here, and it's safe to say the first half of the season hasn't played out like the Atlanta Braves had hoped. The Braves own a disappointing 37-42 record as of Thursday, and even though things have improved lately, it remains to be seen if Brian Snitker's club can maintain its momentum long enough to make the playoffs.
Needless to say, the coming weeks — especially those before the trade deadline — will be crucial for the Braves' outlook. It has to be all hands on deck. Looking to keep the good vibes coming, Atlanta shook up its bullpen with a roster move on Thursday morning.
Braves Promote RHP Michael Petersen, Option LHP Austin Cox to Triple-A
The Braves have announced that right-handed pitcher Michael Petersen has been recalled from the minors. In a corresponding move, southpaw Austin Cox was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett after giving up a home run and two hits in Wednesday's 7-3 loss to the rival New York Mets.
The #Braves today recalled RHP Michael Petersen to Atlanta after optioning LHP Austin Cox to Triple-A Gwinnett following yesterday’s game.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 26, 2025
Petersen is an experienced arm who's spent time with the Milwaukee Brewers, Colorado Rockies, L.A. Dodgers, Miami Marlins, and Los Angeles Angels before the 2025 campaign. He opened the 2025 campaign on the Angels' roster only to be traded to the Braves in exchange for cash on April Fool's Day.
Petersen has only made two appearances in an Atlanta uniform since the trade, and unfortunately, those outings weren't much to write home about. He gave up a pair of earned runs on three hits in three innings, forcing him to spend the majority of the season with the Stripers.
The good news is that Petersen has been excelling in the minors. The Middlesex, U.K. native has pitched to a 3.27 ERA across 22 relief innings with Gwinnett, which includes striking out 9.4 batters per nine innings pitched. If he can maintain that level of success in the MLB, he could stick around with the Braves for much longer than his previous stints.
The Braves' next game is against the Mets at 7:10 p.m. ET on Thursday, leaving time to tell if Petersen will fare better against the NL East club than Cox did less than 24 hours earlier.