Atlanta continues to add to its pitching depth, re-signing the 16-year veteran and a long-time organizational arm to non-roster contracts for 2026.
ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves have made their first “quiet and small moves” of the offseason, ensuring veteran starting pitching depth remains in the system. According to a report from Baseball America’s Matt Eddy, the team has re-signed right-handers Carlos Carrasco and Darius Vines to minor league contracts.
Both pitchers finished the 2025 season with the Braves organization and will stick around as non-roster depth, a crucial need for a team that has been ravaged by pitching injuries over the last two seasons.
Carrasco’s 2025 “Unraveled”
Carrasco, 38, was acquired from the New York Yankees ahead of the 2025 trade deadline as the Braves scrambled for starting pitching depth.
His tenure in Atlanta was brief and difficult. The 16-year veteran made three starts for the Braves, posting a 9.88 ERA and a 2.12 WHIP in 13 2/3 innings.
His first start was respectable, allowing three earned runs over six innings. However, he “unraveled” after that, allowing six earned runs in each of his next two starts. The Braves designated him for assignment, and after he elected free agency, he has now been brought back on a minor league deal.
Vines’ Path Back from Injury
Vines, 27, has been with the Braves organization since he was a seventh-round pick in 2019. He spent the entire 2025 season on the injured list, with his last game action coming in August 2024 for Double-A Mississippi.
In nine games (four starts) for the Braves during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Vines posted a 5.82 ERA across 34 innings. This minor league deal gives him a path to work his way back in the system.
Offseason Context
These “quiet” signings are typical low-risk moves made by all teams early in the offseason. For the Braves, having as much pitching depth as possible is a priority, and these moves don’t hurt.
They come on the heels of several major roster decisions:
- Options Exercised: Chris Sale, Ozzie Albies
- Options Declined: Pierce Johnson, Tyler Kinley
- New Free Agents: Ha-Seong Kim (opted-out), Marcell Ozuna, Raisel Iglesias
With significant salary offloaded, Braves fans are still waiting to see if the team will make “more major additions” as the offseason begins to “heat up.”
