New Braves reliever could be a bounce-back candidate

James Karinchak will be a reliever of intrigue when the Braves report to Florida in a couple of months.

The Braves signed Karinchak, 30, to a minor league deal earlier this month, their latest low-cost investment in a player who could provide substantial reward. He’ll have the chance to reestablish himself after injuries have disrupted his career.

Karinchak, once was a brilliant strikeout artist in the Cleveland bullpen, hasn’t appeared in a major league game in two seasons. He was limited to 6⅔ minor league innings in 2024 because of shoulder issues. Cleveland let him go and he landed with the White Sox, for whom he pitched in Triple-A until he was released during the summer.

The righty had a 2.45 ERA during that Triple-A stint with a 28.1% strikeout rate but 16.5% walk rate. As more time has passed, perhaps he can rediscover the stuff that once made him menacing.

Karinchak owns a 3.10 ERA from 2019-23 (174 games). He’s struck out 253 in 165⅔ innings, though he also has walked 98. The gaudy strikeout production makes him a worthy low-cost investment. If he can stay healthy and stabilize his command of his pitches, there’s a sizable upside.

“Guys who’ve had success in the past are guys we earmark a little bit,” president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said. “We spend a little more time on it. Doesn’t mean they’re going to pan out. But he’s still young, and when the stuff comes back, there are so many examples, you look yearly at guys who’ve emerged — and not necessarily out of baseball, but outside the big league level for a few years — and finally bounce back.

“So excited to see how he looks when he comes to camp.”