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Atlanta Braves demote player following a loss to the Nationals
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- Atlanta Braves demote player following a loss to the Nationals
Atlanta Braves demote player following a loss to the Nationals
The Atlanta Braves made a pair of roster moves on Tuesday, signing right-hander Elieser Hernandez to a major league contract while optioning right-hander Blake Burkhalter back to Triple-A Gwinnett just one day after his MLB debut.
Burkhalter made his big-league debut on September 1 against the Washington Nationals, pitching one inning and allowing one earned run.
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The demotion is not a condemnation of what he has done this year. Before being called up, the 25-year-old had been outstanding at Triple-A Gwinnett, posting a 1.48 ERA with 37 strikeouts across 24 1/3 innings.
He will return to Gwinnett to continue building on that and remains under team control through 2032 as a 2022 second-round pick out of Auburn.
Hernandez, a 31-year-old seven-year big-league veteran, steps in as a reliable multi-inning option for manager Walt Weiss. In two appearances for Atlanta this season he has posted a 1.50 ERA with six strikeouts across six innings, relying on a low-90s sinker and sweeper that has generated soft contact consistently.
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His ability to handle multiple innings gives Weiss the flexibility to protect higher-leverage arms like Dylan Lee and closer Raisel Iglesias during the stretch run.
Hernandez spent time with the Miami Marlins earlier in his career before bouncing through several organizations and eventually signing a minor league deal with Atlanta in 2026. To clear a 40-man roster spot for the signing, the Braves assigned left-hander Hayden Harris.
The Braves enter Wednesday at 82-57, sitting atop the NL East with a three-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies.
