Braves put reliever Tyler Kinley on IL; rookie JR Ritchie back in the majors
The Braves’ bullpen was dealt a major blow Wednesday when the club placed Tyler Kinley on the 15-day injured list, backdated to Monday, with right elbow inflammation.
Kinley, 35, has a 3.18 ERA and .222 batting average against in 31 appearances this season. The right-handed reliever has been a key piece of Atlanta’s pitching staff in helping bridge the gap between the starting pitcher and back end of the bullpen.
To take Kinley’s roster spot, the Braves called up James Karinchak from Triple-A Gwinnett. Karinchak has made 21 appearances for Gwinnett and has a 2.45 ERA to go with 38 strikeouts in 25⅔ innings.
Karinchak, 30, signed with the Braves in December on a minor-league deal. The right-hander pitched for Cleveland from 2019-23, appeared in seven games for Triple-A Columbus in 2024 and then for Triple-A Charlotte in the White Sox organization in 2025.
The Braves also designated Carlos Carrasco for assignment after the veteran righty threw 1⅔ innings and allowed a run on four hits in a 6-5, 10-inning loss to the White Sox in Chicago. The 39-year-old has been designated for assignment four times by the Braves this season.
To take Carrasco’s place, rookie pitcher JR Ritchie was recalled. Ritchie has made five starts for the Braves, all between April 23-May 18, and was 1-1 with a 4.56 ERA. For Gwinnett, Ritchie made eight starts and gave up 12 earned runs in 39⅓ innings. He was 4-2 with a 2.75 ERA for the Stripers.