The Braves made a series of bullpen moves Friday as they prepared for their matchup with the Mets, and the biggest name to come off the roster was Ian Hamilton.
Atlanta designated the right-hander for assignment after recalling Anthony Molina and activating lefty Danny Young from the 60-day injured list. James Karinchak also lost his roster spot as part of the shuffle.
Hamilton’s latest stint ended after he was involved in a rough seventh inning against the Cardinals on Thursday night. He and two other relievers were tagged for seven runs, flipping a slim lead into a lopsided deficit. In four appearances with Atlanta, Hamilton allowed four earned runs.
This is the second time Hamilton has been designated for assignment this season. He joined the Braves on a minor league deal in December and reached the majors a few weeks into the year, but was bumped off the roster after one appearance in April.
He cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to the minors then, and he could be headed through that same process again. If he goes unclaimed, he would have the option to reject another minor league assignment and elect free agency.
Young’s return gives Atlanta another left-handed option after his 2025 season was derailed by an elbow sprain in April that eventually required reconstructive surgery. He signed with the Braves over the winter, then threw five scoreless innings during his rehab assignment. The Braves have leaned hard on Dylan Lee in the bullpen this season, so Young should step into an immediate role.
The 32-year-old lefty is coming off a little more than a season of solid work with the Mets. He missed bats at a good clip in New York, though walks were an issue at times. In 2024, he worked his way into the late-inning mix and finished with seven holds as a useful left-handed arm.
Molina is back for his third major league stint with Atlanta this year. The veteran righty has posted a 5.40 ERA over 5 innings, but his fastball is up more than 1 mph with the Braves and he’s also throwing a harder slider.
Karinchak, meanwhile, had just returned to the majors this season after not pitching in the big leagues since 2023 with the Guardians. He has kept runs off the board in eight appearances and owns a 2.08 ERA, but the strikeout rate has been modest at 21.2% and the walk rate has climbed to 12.1%. He’s in his final minor league option year, and there’s a decent chance he gets another look in the majors before the season is over.
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