The Atlanta Braves wasted no time manipulating their bullpen once rosters expanded on September 1st. Recent roster addition Blake Burkhalter made his Major League debut on Tuesday night against the Nationals. Burkhalter threw one inning and surrendered one earned run. The performance was fine, but it wasn't strong enough to keep him around for Atlanta's upcoming stretch.
The Braves announced Wednesday morning that they were sending Burkhalter back down to Triple-A and recalling RHP Elieser Hernández to the big league squad. Additionally, to make room on the 40-man roster, the club designated LHP Hayden Harris for assignment.
The #Braves today selected RHP Elieser Hernández to the major league roster after optioning RHP Blake Burkhalter to Triple-A Gwinnett following last night’s game. To make room on the 40-man roster, Atlanta designated LHP Hayden Harris for assignment.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 2, 2026
Despite being sent back to Triple-A, the Braves accomplished their mission with Blake Burkhalter
Burkhalter only got to throw one inning in D.C., but the Braves made him postseason-eligible, which is all they were really aiming for. Burkhalter will return to Gwinnett with the ability to refine the things Atlanta's coaching staff wants him to work on. Burkhalter's 1.48 ERA in Triple-A indicates he is ready for the call-up; he just needs to prepare for whatever role Atlanta wants him to fill at the end of the year.
Now, as the Braves head toward an important series against the Phillies, they opt to add Elieser Hernández, who can provide some length out of the bullpen. Some may remember that Hernández was a hero in a couple of games earlier this season, where he threw three innings of excellent relief in each outing. Hernández returns to Atlanta ready to fill a similar role, ready to cover multiple innings if a game gets lopsided in one direction or the other.
The final note from this transaction left-handed reliever Hayden Harris being designated for assignment. Harris made noise with his excellent minor league stats in 2025, ultimately leading to pitching a few games for Atlanta late last season. Unfortunately, 2026 had not gone so well for the 27-year-old lefty. In 46 innings with Triple-A Gwinnett this season, Harris had a 5.28 ERA and 1.71 WHIP.
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