On Tuesday, the Atlanta Braves reassigned reliever Jackson Stephens to Triple-A Gwinnett, freeing up space for fan favorite Jesse Chavez on the opening day roster.
The Chicago White Sox fired veteran right-hander Chavez, 40, a day earlier after he gave up nine earned runs in seven innings of spring training. Chavez was then signed by the Braves.
Chavez will be working for Atlanta for the fifth time.
“It’s good to be home,” Chavez said, choking back tears. “Words can’t express how I feel right now. There’s so many emotions going on with how I feel about Braves country that it’s really tough.”
With one save in 36 games and a 1.56 ERA in the first half of the previous season, the right-hander was among the team’s most productive relievers. However, he ended up missing over three months following a comeback from Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera’s June 24 left leg hit.
With one save in 36 games and a 1.56 ERA in the first half of the previous season, the right-hander was among the team’s most productive relievers. However, he ended up missing over three months following a comeback from Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera’s June 24 left leg hit.
The Braves felt Chavez was not as productive as he was prior to the injury, so they left him off their postseason team when he returned late in the season. The Braves failed to re-sign him after the season, which let him sign with the White Sox.
Chavez has returned to more comfortable settings for what he claims would be his last season.
Following a 3.68 ERA in six outings over 7 1/3 innings during spring training, Stephens was demoted to Gwinnett outright. It appeared like he would be included in the starting lineup for Thursday’s scheduled opener against Philadelphia, if only the Braves could get Chavez back in the long relief position.
Less than a year after being acquired by the Braves in a trade with Tampa Bay for Rafael Soriano on December 11, 2009, Chavez was dealt to Kansas City.
On April 21, 2022, the Braves acquired Chavez once more from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for reliever Sean Newcomb. Later that season, Chavez was traded to the Angels in a transaction that sent closer Raisel Iglesias to Atlanta.
The Braves signed Chavez off waivers later in the 2022 as a free agent heading into last season. He has played with nine teams, five of them multiple times, over his 16-year career.