The Atlanta Braves' bullpen has been really impressive for most of the 2026 season. They have run into a bit of a rough spot the last few games, but overall, they've been one of the best in baseball. Atlanta's front office will need to consider improving the bullpen at the trade deadline. However, there is an option currently sitting at Triple-A Gwinnett that could help boost things immediately.
James Karinchak used to be a great reliever, but he fell off at the end of the 2023 season. Karinchak dealt with shoulder issues for almost the entirety of the 2024 and 2025 seasons, with the righty only appearing in a handful of minor league innings during those two seasons. For many, he was just another blown out arm that was done.
However, the Braves felt like he was worth taking a chance on this season and that has looked pretty wise. Karinchak has looked really good for the Stripers so far, and it's a bit shocking he hasn't been called up yet.
James Karinchak not getting a chance in Atlanta's bullpen is truly bizarre
Karinchak may not throw as hard as he used to, but over 21 innings, Karinchak has a 2.57 ERA with 3.19 FIP, nine walks, and 30 strikeouts. Those are some impressive stats, especially when comparing the amount of strikeouts vs. walks. Karinchak is averaging almost 13 strikeouts per nine innings and carries a strikeout percentage just over 36%. Opponents are only batting .192 against him, so why haven't the Braves given him a shot at the big league level yet?
The most likely reason is that there aren't many current bullpen arms with minor league options. Karinchak has one option remaining, but it's hard to justify not giving him an opportunity over someone like Carlos Carrasco.
Karinchak's fastball velocity isn't what it used to be, but it still sits between 93 mph and 95 mph right now. Regardless, he's still getting a lot of chase and whiffs from opponents. His curveball has its good and bad days. However, if the vertical break on his heater remains strong, it shouldn't be too big of a deal. There were some issues with the fastball velocity dropping when he was used more often. So that could be a reason Atlanta is also hesitant to bring him up. He hasn't pitched in back-to-back days the entire month of May.
Right now, it just seems like the Braves are focused on heavily managing Karinchak's workload as he has had at least three days off between appearances basically all month. It feels like this is more likely to be Atlanta's primary concern at this point of the season. However, with him having one option remaining, why not give him a shot at this point? Hopefully, he will have that chance soon.
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