Braves Designate Elieser Hernandez for Assignment

The Atlanta Braves announced on Saturday the designation of right-hander Elieser Hernandez for assignment. In his place, the team has recalled right-handed reliever James Karinchak from Triple-A Gwinnett.

Hernandez, who is 31 years old, has made two appearances for Atlanta this season, both as a relief pitcher, earning a win and his first career save while allowing one run on six hits and four walks, alongside six strikeouts. However, his performance in Gwinnett has not been as strong, with a 4.83 earned run average over 76 1/3 innings.

Historically, Hernandez showed promise as a rotation arm with the Miami Marlins, achieving a 3.84 ERA in 17 starts from 2020 to 2021. After facing injuries and being released by the Marlins in 2024, he played in the Korea Baseball Organization before signing a minor league deal with the Braves last November. The Braves have until Monday afternoon to trade Hernandez, but he is expected to clear waivers and potentially re-sign to continue with Gwinnett.