The Atlanta Braves have stayed active on the waiver wire this offseason.
The Atlanta Braves have continued to work the margins of their roster this offseason, focusing on bullpen depth as they prepare for the long road to Opening Day. While headline-grabbing signings often dominate the winter, Atlanta has consistently shown a willingness to search for value in less obvious places, particularly when it comes to relief pitching.
For a team with postseason expectations, having reliable arms beyond the top of the depth chart can often be the difference between stability and scrambling once injuries inevitably arise.
Relief pitching, by nature, is volatile. The Braves know that innings accumulate quickly over a six-month season, and flexibility is essential.
As a result, the front office has remained active on the waiver wire, exploring opportunities to add controllable arms who can compete in camp and provide coverage across multiple roles. That approach resurfaced with a recent roster move involving two pitchers with limited remaining roster flexibility.
Atlanta officially confirmed the transaction on social media this Monday. “The #Braves today claimed LHP Jose Suarez off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles and designated RHP George Soriano for assignment,” the Braves wrote on X.
The move represents another example of how aggressively Atlanta and Baltimore have maneuvered around the waiver process this offseason, with both clubs attempting to secure depth without permanently committing roster spots.
Suarez returns to an organization he briefly pitched for last season. The 28-year-old left-hander has seven years of experience in MLB. He has spent much of his career in a swingman role, capable of starting in a pinch or working out of the bullpen.
Across his major-league career, Suarez has logged 396 innings with an ERA of 5.30, numbers that reflect inconsistency but also durability. In limited action at the big-league level last season, he posted a strong 1.86 ERA in a very small sample, though his overall track record suggests he remains more of a depth option than a finished bullpen piece.
For the Braves, Suarez offers something valuable: a left-handed arm with experience who can absorb innings if needed. He is out of minor-league options, which complicates his roster status, but Atlanta has shown it is willing to cycle pitchers through waivers in hopes of retaining them as non-roster depth.
Soriano, meanwhile, finds himself designated for assignment after struggling to establish himself in the majors. The right-hander has a high-velocity fastball and flashed promise in Triple-A last season, but his major-league results have lagged behind. With no options remaining, Atlanta faced a roster decision and chose to retain Suarez’s left-handed profile instead.
Ultimately, this move is less about immediate impact and more about organizational flexibility. The Braves are stockpiling arms, creating competition and positioning themselves to weather injuries or underperformance. Whether Suarez sticks on the roster or becomes part of another waiver maneuver remains to be seen, but Atlanta’s offseason approach continues to emphasize depth, adaptability and calculated risk.