The Atlanta Braves have been in buyer mode despite falling far out of 2025 relevancy. Atlanta's interest in adding pieces is very specific in that it is only acquiring failing pitchers in an attempt to eat innings in the final two months of the season.
The Braves' bullpen has been predictably awful, while the rotation has been hit with endless injuries. It has forced the team to acquire two struggling starters, and in the latest move, they continue adding to a struggling pen.
The #Braves today acquired RHP Tyler Kinley from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for minor league RHP Austin Smith. To make room on the 40-man roster, the club designated RHP Enyel De Los Santos for assignment.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 30, 2025
The Braves Continue to Add Pitching Ahead of the Deadline
Tyler Kinley was acquired Wedneaday from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for minor league right-hander Austin Smith. It is an underwhelming trade, noteworthy only because of who Atlanta demoted to make room for Kinley.
Enyel De Los Santos has been designated for assignment after continual struggles in the 2025 season. It is impossible to continue to call on the veteran when it is a coin flip which version of the pitcher will show up. One could argue that this is the case for much of the pen, but De Los Santos has been a glaring example of this frustrating inconsistency.
It seems likely the veteran reliever will opt to leave the franchise and try free agency. Bullpen arms are continually bounced between failing teams, even with less-than-stellar results. We have reached the time of the year when a sense of desperation has set in for struggling franchises.
Atlanta is no exception to this as the Braves attempt to limp to the finish. It is clear the reliever isn't going to help them get there and doesn't play into their future plans.
With this in mind, and understanding there is zero trade value, turning the page is the right decision. All Atlanta can hope for at this point is finding a way not to lose any more key players in the final two months. Finishing the year without another serious injury should be viewed as a win, no matter the record.
De Los Santos had some great early moments for Atlanta, but quickly faded, putting together a 4.53 ERA and showing he couldn't be trusted when the game mattered most. As we crawl towards the end of a miserable season, there simply wasn't a viable reason to retain the struggling veteran.