Everyone knew coming into the offseason that the Atlanta Braves were going to have to make sweeping changes to their bullpen. Between injuries, free agency, and guys just falling off, the Braves' relief corps struggled throughout the 2025 season and ended up ranking 25th in all of baseball by fWAR. Reuniting with Raisel Iglesias and signing Robert Suarez were really strong steps forward, but one move that hasn't gotten much attention is the addition of James Karinchak.
If Karinchak's name is vaguely familiar, it is because he was one of the more electric relievers in MLB from 2020-2022. Karinchak's command has always been suspect, but the raw stuff was insane and his ability to get strikeouts generally outweighed the problem with walks. Unfortunately, things took a turn when he missed 2024 with a shoulder issue and he seemingly fell off the map after that.
However, Atlanta clearly saw something that made them think he was worth taking a flyer on. That decision could prove to be wise as the most recent offseason workout video featuring Karinchak has his stock trending up.
Karinchak’s first pen today, sitting 95 🔥.
— Baseball Performance Center (@The_BPCsj) December 13, 2025
Which is harder than any ball he has thrown in 2 years AND he hasn’t hit 95 in an off-season pen since…2019.
Is one of the most electrifying relievers in the MLB back?
If you ask me…yes. But time will tell.
Well done James 📈. pic.twitter.com/RrfJ77vEs5
Braves' James Karinchak looks in great shape at this point of the offseason
Just to be clear: Karinchak is a lottery ticket for the Braves. He hasn't pitched in the majors since 2023 and his lack of control and injury history don't bode well. There are very good reasons why Atlanta signed him to a minor league deal. If things don't work out, the cost is minimal and everyone can move on with their lives.
However, if this workout is a sign of things to come, the Braves' bullpen could be legitimately terrifying. Not only do they already have Iglesias and Suarez who both can handle (in theory) any high leverage situations, but they could end up with a guy in Karinchak with a nasty fastball/breaking ball combo that could shorten games even more.
All of that said, this IS a workout video in a controlled setting released by his trainers which must be taken with a grain of salt. We don't know how his other workouts have looked nor do we know how he will look when he is competing against professional hitters. If he can find the strike zone and maintain these velocity gains, great! Despite needing to be skeptical for now, it does seem like Karinchak's chances of actually making the team in 2026 are going up.