The Braves shuffled their pitching staff Tuesday, bringing up AJ Smith-Shawver for a Wednesday start against the Twins and moving on from reliever Tyler Kinley.
Smith-Shawver was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett and will take the ball in the series finale. To make room, Atlanta designated Kinley for assignment, sending his roster spot to the right-hander.
Kinley had been in the organization for about a year after last season’s trade from the Rockies, and his Braves run started with a bang. He was lights-out in 2025, turning in a 0.72 ERA while allowing just 11 hits across his first 25 innings with Atlanta.
This season, though, the numbers have backed up. The 35-year-old has a 4.01 ERA with 42 strikeouts over 42.2 innings, and the long ball has become a real problem. He has surrendered four home runs in his last 12.2 innings, a stretch that began July 3.
“Kinley has always had some susceptibility to home runs, as one would expect for a fly-ball pitcher who’s spent the vast majority of his career calling Denver’s Coors Field his home park,” Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors wrote.
“However, he’s never struggled with the long ball to this extent. He’s averaging 1.9 homers per nine innings pitched this season,” Adams added. “A career-worst 15.5% of the fly balls he’s allowed this year have left the yard.”
Smith-Shawver, who has battled injuries at times, is back in Atlanta’s rotation as Kinley heads to the waiver wire.
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