Braves claim Mitchell Parker off waivers

Across three seasons, Parker has pitched 355.1 innings with a 5.19 ERA. Just 39.2 of those came this year, largely because he was wildly ineffective — a 6.58 ERA and a 66 ERA+ (34% below league average).

The surface-level numbers are less than encouraging. The stuff doesn’t jump off the page either, headlined by a low-90s fastball, and to complicate things further, Parker underwent InternalBrace surgery that will likely cost him most of the 2027 season.

Parker is arbitration-eligible this year, projected to earn around $1 million. There’s a strong chance he’s non-tendered, and even if he isn’t, it’ll be a long road before he makes an appearance for the Braves.

But he does come with options and several years of team control, and this is an organization that’s had a lot of success with reclamation projects. The path to sticking in Major League Baseball is rarely linear, and sometimes it comes down to finding the right home. The Braves have been exactly that for a lot of arms over the years.