The Braves re-signed the lefty Ray Kerr again Royber Salinas to minor league deals, according to action trackers on the duo’s profile pages on MLB.com. According to that source, the Braves brought in a lefty Kolton Ingram to the organization on a minor league deal.
Kerr and Salinas were both non-tendered by the Braves before last week’s trade deadline, but both will return to the organization as roster free agents. Kerr began his major league career with the Padres and posted solid numbers for San Diego in 2023, with a 4.33 ERA and 4.18 FIP in 27 innings that saw him strike out an opponent-best 30.3% of the time. That small sample of success was enough to convince the Braves to trade him last winter, and the club picked up a final year Matt Carpenter‘s underwater contract with San Diego to facilitate the agreement. Unfortunately, Kerr struggled to a 5.64 ERA in 10 regular season appearances before Tommy John surgery back in June. Now that he’s back with Atlanta, he’ll be able to rejoin the organization as he eyes a possible return for a second season in 2025.
As for Salinas, he even joined the Braves organization earlier this month after being waived by the A’s. It’s not Salinas’ first time in the organization, however, as he came out of Venezuela and Atlanta as an international rookie. After spending the first years of his professional career with the Braves, Salinas was traded to the A’s as part of the team. Sean Murphy deal before the 2023 season. The right-hander’s two-year stint in Oakland saw him struggle to establish himself in the upper minors. After struggling to a 5.48 ERA in his first taste of Double-A action last year, he saw improved results (including a 3.68 ERA) in multiple starts this year but was burned to the tune of seven runs in 6 1/3 innings. frames. Looking forward to 2025, Salinas’ stats will serve as a no-brainer for the club’s bullpen, which is currently empty. AJ Minter after the lefty hit free agency earlier this month as well Joe Jimenez after the right-hander underwent surgery that will cause him to miss at least most of the 2025 campaign.
That undrafted depth role could also work for Ingram, who spent the 2024 season bouncing between four different organizations at the Triple-A level. In 51 2/3 innings of work across the majors for the Giants, Mets, Rangers, and Cardinals, Ingram posted a solid 3.66 ERA while striking out 23.7% of opponents. The southpaw got his only major league exposure in 2023 as a member of the Angels. While he impressed with a 2.95 ERA at the Double- and Triple-A levels that year, he was recorded to an 8.44 ERA in 5 1/3 frames during his first cup of coffee in the majors. Now more than a year removed from those frustrating games, Ingram figures to be eyeing a chance to return to the big leagues with Atlanta next season.
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