The Braves announced on Wednesday that Jesse Chavez will begin a rehab assignment tonight with Triple-A Gwinnett. In addition, the club announced that Ehire Adrianza’s rehab assignment has been transferred from High-A Rome to the Stripers.
The journeyman was amid a career year before he took a comebacker off the shin, resulting in a 15-day injured list stint initially. However, the Braves eventually moved him to the 60-day IL.
That was June 15, disclosed as a shin contusion. However, it was later revealed to be a microfracture, which has kept him out for nearly four months now. It’s a difficult hand to be dealt, but if anyone can roll with the punches, it’s Jesse Chavez.
He’s consistently been traded and gone unsigned, only to wind up back in Atlanta. For whatever reason, when he puts on a Braves uniform, he turns into Mariano Rivera.
2023 was no different. Before being struck in the leg by a hard hit ball from Miguel Cabrera, Chavez was among the most valuable relievers in all of baseball, owning a 1.51 ERA over 29 appearances.
Chavez hasn’t pitched in a live game in nearly four months and is just now beginning his rehab assignment. Still, relievers don’t need as long as starters to ramp back up, so it shouldn’t be long before he’s capable of joining the Braves.
Unfortunately, he is among those who could surprisingly be left off the playoff roster. The Braves bullpen is as deep as any in the league. Chavez might find himself on the outside looking in come October, but it looks like he’ll have a couple of weeks to prove himself at the major league level.
More must-reads: