Fan Favorite Braves Reliever Departs to American League…For Now
Certain players seemingly always find their way back to the Atlanta Braves.
Whether it’s Charlie Culberson signing multiple minor league deals with the team, including most recently as a reliever, or the team trading for Adam Duvall multiple times, certain players just always find their way back to Truist Park.
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And one of those most recent examples of a player that constantly finds his way back to Atlanta, reliever Jesse Chavez, looks to be leaving the organization again, as he’s signed a minor league deal with the Chicago White Sox.
Chavez recently admitted to MLB Network Radio that he wanted one more major league opportunity before retiring, and he finds it in the American League with several former Braves who were traded there this offseason, including RHP Michael Soroka, infielder Nicky Lopez, and prospect Braden Shewmake.
The 40 year-old was having one of his best seasons last year, pitching to a 1.55 ERA in 31 appearances prior to the All-Star Break, when he took a comebacker to the shin off of the bat of Detroit Tigers icon Miguel Cabrera. Initially thought to be a bruise, he later went onto the 15-day IL and then the 60-day IL with a fractured leg and didn’t return until late in September, pitching only 5.2 innings down the stretch for Atlanta and not having enough time to make a postseason roster case.
Chavez, who has made three separate late-career stints with Atlanta and has either been traded for, signed as a free agent, or claimed by the organization off of waivers a total of four times, obviously valued his time with the Braves and didn’t want to leave. In an Instagram post (which is now set to private), Chavez thanked the Atlanta fans for their support:
