Braves Release Kyle Farmer

The Braves announced that outfielder Mike Yastrzemski has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list. Infielder Kyle Farmer has been released as the corresponding move. He’ll become a free agent once he clears release waivers, if he hasn’t already.

Farmer, 35, signed a minor league deal with Atlanta in the offseason. Due to his veteran status, he had a standard opt-out in that deal ahead of Opening Day. Atlanta didn’t want him to get away, so they signed him to a split deal with a salary of $1.25MM in the majors.

He has been in a bench/utility role when healthy. A forearm strain put him on the IL for a while, from mid May to early July. Though he has spent a decent chunk of the campaign on the roster, he has hardly been used. He has appeared in 12 games and made 16 plate appearances with a .267/.250/.333 line.

Atlanta probably wasn’t expecting much more than that. Farmer has been a light-hitting utility guy throughout his career, with a .247/.306/.387 line over ten seasons. Defensively, he has played every position on the diamond except for center field and right field.

Atlanta mostly used him as a late-game substitution on the infield. Shortstop has been a notable hole for the club this year, mostly due to the injuries and struggles of Ha-Seong Kim. Kim is once again on the IL but currently on a rehab assignment while Jim Jarvis and Jorge Mateo are on the active roster. Farmer was already not getting a lot of playing time and would have received even less after Kim’s return. Also, Yastrzemski’s reinstatement might mean Mauricio Dubón spends less time in the outfield and more on the infield.

As a veteran, Farmer would have had the right to reject an outright assignment and elect free agency. The club has skipped that formality and just released him. He could return to the club on a minor league deal but will also have a chance to explore other opportunities.

The return of Yastrzemski strengthens the Atlanta outfield. Elbow inflammation sent Yaz to the IL earlier this month. Ronald Acuña Jr. is also on the shelf, in his case due to a hamstring strain, but he’s on a rehab assignment. In the near future, the outfield should once again have it’s ideal alignment of Acuña, Michael Harris II and Yastrzemski.

Recently, Dubón, Brewer Hicklen and Eli White have been filling in. As mentioned, Dubón could see more time on the dirt now. Hicklen might get squeezed to the bench while White could still see time as a short-side platoon partner with Yastrzemski.