Veteran pitcher making MLB comeback with Braves

At long last, a World Series champion pitcher is getting his lifeline back into the bigs.

The Atlanta Braves announced on Friday that they have signed ex-Astros closer Ken Giles. Jon Heyman of the New York Post adds that it is a minor league deal but with an invite to spring training for Giles, who can make $1.75 million if he gets promoted to the majors.

The righty Giles, 33, was once the ninth-inning man of choice for the Astros. He logged 61 saves for them in two-and-a-half seasons from 2016-18 and closed on Houston’s 2017 World Series team, too. 

Giles then had a fruitful stint with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2019 (posting a 1.87 ERA over 53 relief appearances), but was set back by Tommy John surgery in 2020 that cost him the entire 2021 campaign.

While Giles has only made five total MLB appearances since his surgery (with the Seattle Mariners in 2022), he had recently thrown a showcase for interested teams in the hopes of a comeback. 

Giles is now far removed from some of the maturity issues that plagued him early in his career and will now look to make the most of his shot with the contending Braves.