Former Braves Pitcher Released by Texas Rangers

A member of the Atlanta Braves World Series team has been released by the Rangers and is available to re-join the team, again, should the Braves decide to

Harrison Smajovits | Mar 22, 2025

Once again, this pitcher is free for the Braves to pick up / Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

In this story:

A former Atlanta Braves pitcher is back on the market. The Texas Rangers have released right-hander Jesse Chavez Friday as part of a series of moves ahead of the regular season.

Rangers transactions for Friday:
-OF Dustin Harris optioned to Round Rock (AAA)
-OF Alejandro Osuna optioned to Frisco (AA)
-RHP Jesse Chavez released
-RHP Hunter Strickland released
— Texas Rangers PR (@TXRangersPR) March 22, 2025

Chavez signed with the Rangers back in January on a minor-league contract with an invite to Spring Training.

In seven appearances, Chavez finished with a 9.45 ERA, a 2.10 WHIP and a .385 opponent’s average in 6 2/3 innings pitched.

All right, we know the drill. It’s time for the Braves to pick him up for (checks notes) the fifth time. Scooping him up after being released wouldn’t be the first time either. It would actually be an on-brand time to pick him up.

During the 2023 season and the first half of the 2024 season, Chavez was a key piece to the Braves bullpen. In 2023, he finished with a 1.56 ERA and had that exact same ERA heading into the 2024 All-Star Break.

However, things unraveled for him when the season resumed. In his final 17 appearances after the break, he had a 5.87 ERA in 23 innings pitched. Perhaps the cracks in the notion that he does well in a Braves uniform started to show.

Then again, maybe he succeeds yet again just because. Name something more Braves to work out that way.

There’s no indication at the time of this article’s publishing that the Braves are going to sign him again. But we’re all thinking it. Grant McAuley from 92.9 The Game joked that the Braves are now “on the clock.”

For now, it’s still the end of an era and this member of the 2021 World Series team has departed along with a few others this offseason.

Earlier on Friday, the Braves added two right-handers to the Major League roster: Héctor Neris and Enyel De Los Santos. Both pitchers had very good springs and fill the role left by Chavez’s departure.

It’s unlikely, but should a move to scoop up Chavez occurs, we can all agree that it wouldn’t be that surprising anymore.