The Braves made a quiet but notable addition Thursday, agreeing to a minor league deal with Andrew McCutchen, a veteran outfielder/designated hitter who gives Atlanta another experienced bat to lean on while the injuries keep piling up.
McCutchen, 39, spent the 2026 season with the Texas Rangers before landing in Atlanta. He played in 37 games for Texas and hit .192, then was released at the end of May. According to the transaction log, the Braves picked him up on Thursday.
It’s the kind of move that costs little and asks for little up front, but it does fit a club that has been chasing more offensive stability. McCutchen is no longer the player he once was, but he still brings a long track record and gives the Braves another layer of depth if they need it.
Atlanta also made a roster change Thursday morning, recalling INF Jim Jarvis and designating INF Rowdy Tellez for assignment.
The Braves’ day didn’t get any brighter on the field, either. They dropped Thursday’s game to the St. Louis Cardinals, 11-5, and with it suffered another series loss.
Elsewhere in the league, the San Diego Padres placed right-hander Jason Adam on the 15-day injured list with a shoulder strain. That move was retroactive to June 30.
The Braves are also looming large in the 2026 All-Star conversation. At the latest update, Atlanta had three players in starting spots for the All-Star Game vote: Ozzie Albies, Drake Baldwin and Michael Harris II.
Matt Olson remains in the mix as a possible selection even if he doesn’t finish as a starter. Ronald Acuña, Jr. is also on the ballot, but unless he makes a major late push, his injury makes a starting spot unlikely.
On the pitching side, Chris Sale, Dylan Lee and Raisel Iglesias were described as worthy candidates, with Robert Suarez also in that group if he were healthy.
Right now, the floor for Atlanta appears to be two All-Stars, though the final number could climb from there depending on how the vote breaks.
In Other News...
Braves Find One Reason For Hope In Another Costly Loss
The Braves latest trip through a rough stretch ended with an 11-5 loss to the Cardinals, their 14th defeat in 19 games, and the familiar problem areas showed up again. The bullpen was stretched thin before the game even began, with Raisel Iglesias and Dylan Dodd having pitched the previous two nights and Robert Suarez still sidelined until after the All-Star break, leaving Atlanta to piece together innings in a hurry.
Hurston Waldrep provided the one encouraging note from the night. In his second big league appearance and first start of the season, he was tagged early but settled in enough to give the Braves something to build on, even if the outing still came with an early mistake that changed the tone. For a club searching for any sign of stability, Waldreps ability to recover may have mattered more than the final score, even as the larger issues kept piling up around him. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Bullpen Shakeup Raises Another Big Question About Late Innings
The Braves kept tinkering with their bullpen mix Wednesday, activating left-hander Danny Young from the 60-day injured list and bringing back right-hander Anthony Molina as they continue to sort through the late-inning picture. Youngs return gives Atlanta another left-handed option after a long rehab stretch, while Molina is back for another look as the club tries to find steadier coverage out of the pen.
The moves came with a cost, as Ian Hamilton was designated for assignment after a rough run of recent outings, and this is his second such move of the season. Atlanta also had to clear another roster spot for Molina, a reminder that every bullpen adjustment now seems to carry a second question about who gets squeezed out next. [Read more 🡒]