Braves finally cut loose struggling relievers, but there is a twist ending

Okay, okay...good changes so far.

Steven Teal

Mar 28, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Joel Payamps (34) throws against the Kansas City Royals in the eight inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Mady Mertens-Imagn Images / Mady Mertens-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Braves have carried one of the best bullpens in baseball this season. Unfortunately, they had a slight hiccup on Thursday against the Tigers and were unable to help seal a series sweep. While the bullpen has been one of the best in the game, Atlanta has been walking on thin ice. A few of their relief options have been unreliable. Yesterday was such a rough showing that the Braves decided it was time for a change.

Atlanta designated Joel Payamps and Jose Suarez for assignment after Thursday's loss. To fill their spots, the Braves recalled Hunter Stratton and selected the contract of Anthony Molina.

The #Braves today recalled RHP Hunter Stratton to Atlanta and selected RHP Anthony Molina to the major league roster. The club designated RHP Joel Payamps and LHP José Suarez for assignment.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 1, 2026

Braves DFA Joel Payamps and Jose Suarez, but their replacements are a bit of a surprise

Payamps hasn't been very good, but he was especially bad against the Tigers. His ERA ballooned to 8.22 for the season with four walks, nine strikeouts, and a 1.70 WHIP. Suarez has a 6.61 ERA over 16.1 innings with 12 walks and 21 strikeouts. It was time for them both to go, so that decision made sense. However, it is interesting to see who they chose to replace them.

Stratton has been mediocre with Triple-A Gwinnett, as indicated by his 4.50 ERA over a dozen innings. Then there is Molina, who is an odd choice simply due to his lack of experience at the big league level. He's only pitched for the Rockies at the big league level, and his numbers aren't encouraging (6.96 ERA over 94 innings.

Molina's ERA is the same as Stratton's over 14 innings, with four walks and 10 strikeouts. These choices don't move the needle very much, and it probably has James Karinchak confused. Karinchak has a 1.88 ERA over 14 innings this season with five walks and 16 strikeouts. It's unclear what else he needs to prove to get called up. This also leaves the bullpen with one less left-handed option, and Dylan Lee is the only dependable one of the two available. Aaron Bummer has been abysmal on the mound this season.

Hopefully, this is just a temporary move to fill the void until they can make better decisions. Stratton and Molina will have a tough test on the West Coast as the Braves take on the Rockies, Mariners, and Dodgers.

Steven Teal

Co-Expert at House That Hank Built. I've been writing about Braves baseball since 2018 and 5 of those years have been with HTHB. I received an undergraduate degree in Sport Managment while attending Georgia Southern University. I also hold a Master of Arts in Communication. My love for sport journalism began during my time in college and it's only grown over the years. I love nothing more than covering the Atlanta Braves and bringing my thoughts to the best fan base in baseball. Some of my time is also spent writing about the Red Sox over at BoSox Injection.