The Braves made a move at the Winter Meetings!

And if you were ready for minor-league bullpen depth as the move to make, then it is your lucky day.

The Braves agreed to a minor-league contract with reliever James Karinchak on Monday night.

Karinchak was a reliever in Cleveland from 2019 to 2023, and put together some decent seasons. The thing that stands out the most is a massive 36.3% strikeout rate. While that also came with a high walk rate, Karinchak has produced a 3.61 xFIP and 2.2 fWAR in 160+ innings in his career.

The issue is that Karinchak threw his last major league pitch in 2023. Shoulder issues basically made 2024 a lost season for him, and he was in the minors with the White Sox for only half of 2025. As a result, it seems he is trying to find an opportunity where he can

See Full Page