Potential Hidden Gem for Braves Bullpen Standing Out Early

A previous standout reliever made a solid impression in his Atlanta Braves spring debut, potentially setting the stage for his comeback

A lethal arm could be ready and waiting for the Braves this season | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The beauty of baseball is that anyone can emerge, or reemerge at anytime. After two seasons in the minor leagues battling injuries, right-hander James Karinchak took the mound for the Atlanta Braves on Saturday, looking to make an early impression.

He's in camp on a minor league deal. He's not guaranteed anything. Every look counts. Sure enough, he got his job done from the jump. He punched out two Tampa Bay Rays batters while holding them to a hit.

He threw nine of his 11 pitches in the inning for strikes. He mixed his four-seamer and curveball well. None of the breaking pitches saw a hitter swing, but they kept catching the zone.

"It was good to see him throw like that yesterday," Manager Walt Weiss said. "The fastball is back. It's got life, and he threw some really good breaking balls that froze some hitters. So, he's an interesting one."

What happens next for the Atlanta Braves? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Braves news delivered to your inbox daily!

The best way to caption the performance is that he's off to a good start. It was a strong semblance of what he had looked like in the past and what he can still be. What made him a clutch arm in the Guardians bullpen a couple of years back can still be tapped.

"Look, he's been good in this league, and you can't forget that. I know he's had the last couple of years, he's been grinding, but it's in there. We've seen it. He's been a guy at the back end of games, for good reason."

Karinchak owns a career 3.10 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP across 147 appearances. Two of his keys to success include the strikeout and keeping the ball in the yard. In the two seasons he succeeded in that, he had a sub-.300 ERA. In 2022, it was at 2.08 at season's end.

When he's seen action in the minors during the 2024 and 2025 seasons, he's looked good. The problem is he's been unable to stay healthy. If he can catch a break, he could prove be valuable for the Braves' bullpen.

However, even then, it isn't always that simple.

Even if he does pitch well and warrants seeing action this season, other factors could keep him from breaking camp with the team. The obvious first hurdle is that the Braves would have to clear a roster spot. Someone else would have to go.

Some other bullpen options who have been brought in on split-contracts or non-guaranteed deals are essentially ahead of him just because of their status. All things being equal, that would come into play.

Knowing the nature of the bullpen, arms are going to rotate in and out. If not at the start of the season, his time is likely going to come if he can stay available. In the end, that's become the most valuable trait for the Braves over the past two years. If you're healthy and you're effective, it's a matter of when and not an if he'll be up with Atlanta.