José Azócar Elects Free Agency

José Azócar elected free agency after clearing outright waivers, according to the MLB.com transaction log. The Braves designated the outfielder for assignment on Wednesday when Eli White returned from a concussion.

Azócar has had two brief stints on Atlanta’s roster this season. He has appeared in nine games, going 5-15 with a pair of doubles and a stolen base. The 30-year-old Venezuela native is a career .248/.293/.325 hitter over 434 plate appearances, most of which came with the Padres between 2022-23.

Around the MLB calls, Azócar has had a solid start to the year with Triple-A Gwinnett. He’s batting .270/.348/.420 with a couple homers and eight steals in 10 tries over 30 minor league games. Azócar has played all three outfield spots and has plus speed off the bench.

There’s a good chance he’ll circle back to the Braves on a minor league deal in the next couple days. Azócar also elected free agency after a DFA on May 8, only to re-sign three days later. He’s out of options and needs to go through waivers each time the Braves want to send him down after a stint on MLB roster.